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HBO has two pay-per-view events set for the spring, and they couldn't be much more different. On April 9, Manny Pacquiao will face Tim Bradley for a third time in a fight that nobody was really asking to see again. On May 7, Canelo Alvarez will face Amir Khan in a fight that, well, nobody was really asking to see, but that's because no one even considered it a viable idea.
What's the better matchup, and what's more likely to get your pay-per-view money?
Pacquiao-Bradley III (4/9)
Pros:
- Being advertised as the final fight of Pacquiao's career, which adds some level of "special" to the event. Could be the last chance to see Manny live.
- Does figure to be competitive, and could be the two fighters meeting at a point where Bradley actually has some real advantages.
- Comes first, and may get your "on a whim" attention a little easier.
- At the very least, you're getting two of the five best fighters in the world at the weight.
Cons:
- We've seen it before. Twice. It was not a particularly compelling fight either time.
- Idea that it will be more competitive puts a lot of stock in (1) Bradley being a better fighter under Teddy Atlas, and (2) Pacquiao being so far removed from his peak that Bradley has caught up. "That guy got older and worse" is not the most interesting selling point.
- As a sort of "rerun" between two veteran fighters, has no real buzz factor.
Canelo-Khan (5/7)
Pros:
- A traditional boxing PPV Saturday, which may mean that you're just used to ordering whatever the big fight is on that night.
- Intriguing, if nothing else. Kind of a real wild card matchup. High risk, high reward.
- Canelo is the new "it" boxer in the pay-per-view world. If you like to order the fights for The Big Names, he's the new one.
- At the very least, it is weird, and different, and does have some buzz factor on that alone.
Cons:
- Could potentially be a real wipeout. While the fight may not be quite the physical mismatch of Canelo-Lopez in 2012, it might not be terribly far off. There is at least valid reason to be concerned.
- For a purist, the idea of welterweight fighting for middleweight title might not be the end of the world, but idea of welterweight fighting for middleweight title at a 155 pound limit might be pushing it.
- Comes second, and if Pacquiao-Bradley stinks, could make one reluctant to order another PPV fight so soon.
If you had to order one fight, which would you be more likely to spend your hard earned dollars on?