The polls for ESPN's ESPY awards are now closed and everything is set other than the distribution of the hardware. This Wednesday, the biggest names in sports will converge in the Nokia center in LA for the 2009 ESPY awards. The festivities will be aired this Sunday July 19 at 9PM/ ET on ESPN. I will be at the awards to cover the event.
The award fight fans have vested interest in is this year's Fighter of the Year. Four athletes, 2 from boxing and 2 from MMA made it to the final list but if you ask me the award will truly be contested by two fighters with Asian last names in Manny Pacquiao and Lyoto Machida. Pacquiao is from the Philippines while Machida is from Brazil but of Japanese descent.
According to Vegas bookies, Pacquiao is the odds to win the award. Sportsbook.com listed his betting his line at -300, requiring a $300 bet to win $100 (you get the back $300 plus $100 if he wins). Pacquiao is considered the Pound-For-Pound best boxer in the world and had spectacular performances in 4 four different weight classes dating back from March 2008 over Juan Manuel Marquez. His other victories are over David Diaz at lightweight, Oscar De la Hoya at welterweight and Ricky Hatton at juniro welterweight.
Machida was the second with $250 for every $100 bet. Machida fights in the UFC and has an impressive 3-win streak dating back last year in May against Tito Ortiz, Thiago Silva and Rashad Evans. He is currently the light heavyweight UFC champion and listed by Sherdog.com as the best pound for pound Mixed Martial Arts fighter in the world.
Anderson Silva who is also from Brazil came in third with +600 odds. (bet $100, win $600)
And Shane Mosley rounded out the final four with +1000 odds.
This is another toss-up fight fans can definitely debate as both Pacquiao and Machida are deserving. I have to give the award to Pacquiao though because I feel his victories had more of an impact in sports than Machida's. Also, Pacquiao jumped 4 weight classes in four fights and won 3 different division belts in the process. Those feats are unheard of in modern times.
At the end of the day though, this is the fans vote. If anything, a Machida win might be an indication of where MMA's popularity is over Boxing. A Pacquiao win on the other hand solidifies Boxing's claim being the world's premier fight sport and it's dominance over the award since ESPN started handing them out in 2007. The first two awards were won by former world champion boxer Floyd Mayweather jr.
Posts
