Mayweather-Pacquiao PPV estimate of 3 million buys would make 'Money' and 'Pac Man' boxing's first-ever billionaires

How do you make a billion dollars in boxing?

Well, it certainly helps when you charge upward of $100 for a pay-per-view (PPV) fight and peddle it to any and all suckers fans willing to open their wallets. That's the strategy for this weekend's Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao showdown (full card here), which takes place on Saturday night (May 2, 2015) inside MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

See the latest odds and betting lines here.

The end result should, based on early PPV estimates, return $300 million in revenue, helping the dynamic duo reach a financial summit that at one time, may have seemed impossible to reach.

Forbes.com has the breakdown:

Assuming Saturday's fight tops at least 2.5 million buys, Mayweather and Pacquiao will both reach $1 billion in career PPV revenue. Mayweather and Pacquiao have reached PPV's pinnacle over the last decade. Mayweather has generated $873 million in PPV revenue over 13 fights with Pacquiao's 20 fights generating $741 million in PPV revenue over the course of his career. Boxing's next biggest PPV stars all-time are Oscar De La Hoya ($696 million), Evander Holyfield ($548 million) and Mike Tyson ($545 million).

Take that, Mr. "Five Years Too Late."

Speaking of De La Hoya, the former "Golden Boy" is credited with helping both Mayweather and Pacquiao become bona fide PPV draws, according to the report, thanks to a couple of winning performances in 2007 that elevated "Money" and "Pac Man" to superstar status.

In fact, Mayweather vs. De La Hoya holds the all-time record with 2.48 million PPV buys.

Not bad for a guy who struggled to break 400,000 the previous year. Now he and his Filipino nemesis average well over one-million PPV buys and combined, could do gangbusters this weekend in "Sin City." Mayweather will receive a 60/40 split for the event, but Pacquiao will balance that scale with his sponsors.

Cha-ching!

For more on "Mayweather vs. Pacquiao" fight, including the latest updates click here. SB Nation also has a comprehensive "Pacquiao vs. Mayweather" news stream right here. And to check out a "Mayweather-Pacquiao" full fight video preview click here.