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Looking Back At Vice’s ‘The Grudge’ S1 EP9: Mayweather vs Pacquiao

Originally posted on Fights Around The World
By Michael Woods | Last updated Aug 13, 2025 5:56 PM ET

The Grudge is a sports documentary series on Vice TV, debuting in March 2025. It covers some of the fiercest rivalries in sports, with 30-minute episodes airing Wednesdays at 10 PM ET. The format mixes archival footage, promotional clips, and commentary. I watched on Philo.

On May 2, 2015, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao met for the unified WBA, WBC, WBO, and The Ring welterweight titles. Mayweather won by unanimous decision (118–110, 116–112, 116–112). The bout set PPV records with about 4.6 million buys and more than $410 million in revenue, making it the most financially successful fight in boxing history. It also repelled customers and potential fans of the sport by offering endless sizzle and negligible steak.

The episode took me back. Way back—further than I expected. Watching The Grudge’s take on Mayweather–Pacquiao reminded me just how long those two flirted with the idea of fighting before actually doing it. The episode captures that drawn-out dance well. For me, someone who was knee-deep in the coverage the entire way, it was a trip down a very specific memory lane.

The fight itself still stands, for me, as a sad emblem of this era—in boxing, sports, and culture. All the hemming and hawing, the jostling for position, the posturing, the yapping, the endless gossip—over a six-plus-year span, it got old.

And then we finally got the fight. And it sure didn’t match the hype, or offer a payoff proportionate to the time invested in wanting it to come to fruition. The Grudge acknowledges the lameness of the “action” that night, but its commentary choices undercut the honesty.

Rachel Bonnetta does well to summarize the 2015 bout as the money-maker it was. But… why is an ex-NFLer like Steve Smith weighing in? Why is Bonnetta, an ex-reporter turned comedian, cast as one of the main interpreters of the fight’s meaning?

Radio Rahim has credible credentials; he starts strong but loses points with me when he claims to have scored the fight a draw. Thankfully, Hall of Fame commentator Al Bernstein brings it back to reality, plainly stating that the bout was not controversial.

Vice could have scrutinized harder, dug into the business mechanics with more bite. But, big but, they likely would not have been authorized to use the fight footage if they’d gone too hard on the power players. It’s the trade-off in sports documentary work: access often comes at the cost of maximum candor.

The whole saga is ripe to be re-examined—especially now, with talk of Mayweather–Pacquiao 2.

Mayweather is 48, Pacquiao is 46, but the more pertinent numbers are the possible tallies a sequel might produce. Oh no… not again!?

I grade the episode a B-: it had its moments, but lacked true Vice flavor and tone.

What is Philo?

Philo is a live TV streaming cable alternative (vMVPD) that combines live, premium, and free content into one seamless experience. Named after Philo T. Farnsworth, the inventor of modern television, Philo focuses on value, simplicity, and flexibility to redefine TV for today’s streaming generation.

With 1.3 million subscribers, Philo delivers: 70+Top-Rated Live Channels: Favorites like MTV, AMC, TLC, Lifetime, BET, and Hallmark Channel. Available on Top Devices: Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Samsung, Vizio, LG Smart TVs, iOS, Android devices, and major web browsers. AMC+Included: Bundled at no extra cost for Core subscribers.

100+ Free Channels: Integrated into Philo Core or available as a standalone, ad-supported (FAST) product. 80,000+ On-Demand Titles: Stream anytime, anywhere. Unlimited DVR: Save recordings for up to 1 year with fast-forward functionality. Premium Add-Ons: STARZ, MGM+, Hallmark+, ALLBLK and more. 7-Day Free Trial: Quick, no-risk sign-up for new users.

This article first appeared on Fights Around The World and was syndicated with permission.

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