Manny Pacquiao is considered a slight underdog in his upcoming showdown against Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 2, but Top Rank Promotions CEO Bob Arum believes the Filipino boxing icon will defy the odds.

Arum, who represented Pacquiao in the negotiation for what is expected to be the richest fight in boxing history, is confident the reigning World Boxing Organization welterweight champion will emerge victorious against the reigning pound-for-pound king.

The famed promoter said that Pacquiao is facing the biggest challenge of his career. But based on what he saw from previous fights of both fighters, Mayweather, who holds a perfect 47-0 record, is not invincible and Pacquiao could hand him the first defeat of his boxing career.

"I really think Manny's going to stop him," Arum told ESPN. "Mayweather's an excellent fighter, no question about that, and he creates a tremendous challenge for Manny. But I think Manny at this stage can rise to that challenge and win the fight. I think he has the better skill set of the two at this stage in their careers."

Arum said that Pacquiao's footwork and activity inside the ring will be too much for Mayweather. The veteran promoter, who said that he was impressed with what he saw from Pacquiao in training, also expects Pacquiao to throw more punches and utilize his advantage in terms of foot speed.

Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach echoed Arum's statement. The 55-year-old trainer said Pacquiao is already in perfect condition for the fight, which makes him confident the eight-division champion will win on Cinco de Mayo weekend despite being considered by many as an underdog.

"He is in top condition," Roach said of Pacquiao, who has racked up 57 wins against five defeats and two draws in 64 fights. "Manny is a freak. He runs, and his condition, we don't have to worry about that. He'll never lose a fight because he's too tired. It just doesn't happen. It's impossible."

Roach recently said that Pacquiao will try to wear Mayweather down in the early rounds of the fight before going for the kill in the latter rounds. The veteran trainer did not give any prediction on what round Mayweather will go down, but he is extremely confident his prized fighter will win by knockout on May 2.

Pacquiao, who is coming off a unanimous decision win against Chris Algieri in their welterweight title fight in November last year, has not scored a knockout win since stopping Miguel Cotto in November 2009.

For the latest sports news, follow Latin Post Sports on Twitter.

FOR MORE BOXING NEWS UPDATES, CLICK ON THIS LINK TO VISIT LATIN POST.COM'S SPORTS PAGE.

Related