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Now a rival, Floyd Mayweather once cheered hard for Manny Pacquiao

They're now bitter rivals and their fight on Saturday at the MGM Grand has created a huge gulf between their fan bases. But on Jan. 21 2006, Floyd Mayweather Jr. was cheering Manny Pacquiao on during a rematch with Erik Morales in a super featherweight fight at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

At the time, Mayweather had just begun preparations for a welterweight title bout against Zab Judah on April 6, 2006, and no one could imagine that a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight could ever be feasible, let alone become the highest-grossing fight of all-time.

Mayweather and Pacquiao finally meet in a welterweight title fight on Saturday at the MGM Grand that will set all sorts of financial records.

Mayweather is expected to make at least $180 million and could make as much as $200 million after proceeds of the pay-per-view sales are tabulated. Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, said it hasn't been determined what Mayweather's guarantee is yet, but he could get a check on Saturday for as much as $80 million.

Pacquiao's guarantee is $50 million, but he's expected to receive a check Saturday for $25 million. The rest of the money will come from pay-per-view upside. His total take is expected to exceed $100 million.

But long before anyone ever dreamed a boxer could make that kind of money in one night, Pacquiao was building a reputation as one of the sport's most entertaining fighters. Erik Morales was one of the sport's big action stars at the time and he defeated Pacquiao in an entertaining 2005 scrap at the MGM Grand.

Floyd Mayweather speaks to reporters prior to a March news conference in Los Angeles (Esther Lin/Showtime)
Floyd Mayweather speaks to reporters prior to a March news conference in Los Angeles (Esther Lin/Showtime)

The rematch in 2006 was at the Thomas & Mack Center, the home of the UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball team.

Seated in the second row were Mayweather and Ellerbe, alongside a group of HBO Sports executives. In the 10th round, when Pacquiao drops Morales, Mayweather and Ellerbe can be seen cheering for Pacquiao. Beginning at the 4:53 mark of the video above, Mayweather, wearing a dark sports coat and light colored dress shirt, jumps out of his seat and is cheering for Pacquiao, urging him on, as referee Kenny Bayless is giving Morales the count.

Mayweather can clearly be seen over the shoulder of Bayless, who coincidentally will work their fight on Saturday.

Time has changed things dramatically, but at this stage, Mayweather and Pacquiao were, at the very least, friendly rivals.