Boxing titans Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao are set for a highly anticipated rematch of their 2015 mega-bout, 11 years after their first historic encounter. The second fight, details of which are still emerging, will be broadcast on Netflix, bringing the legendary rivalry back to the ring despite both fighters being well past their prime competitive years.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao have agreed to a rematch of their landmark 2015 bout. Mayweather and Pacquiao didn’t announce a weight class or length for their second bout. The two most prominent boxers of their generation will meet again 11 years after Mayweather beat Pacquiao by decision in a fight that didn’t live up to the decade of hype preceding it. The bout’s promoters claimed it was still the most profitable fight in history, setting pay-per-view records and attracting worldwide attention. “I already fought and beat Manny once,” Mayweather said in a statement. “This time will be the same result.” RELATED STORIES Unbeaten Floyd Mayweather says he will return to pro boxing 9 years after his retirement 2 MIN READ Mario Barrios defends WBC welterweight title against Ryan Garcia on Saturday 2 MIN READ Pacquiao returns to the ring in Las Vegas for an April 18 exhibition vs Provodnikov 1 MIN READ Pacquiao later revealed he fought with a shoulder injury because he didn’t want to postpone such an important event. He was unable to apply his usual offensive pressure to Mayweather, who employed his usual defense-first strategy while easing to victory. “The fans have waited long enough — they deserve this rematch,” Pacquiao said. “I want Floyd to live with the one loss on his professional record and always remember who gave it to him.” The fighters’ first meeting happened more than a half-decade after fans first began to clamor for an obvious matchup between two similarly-sized greats. Both sides blamed the other for the delay at times, but Mayweather always asserted he would fight whoever he wanted, whenever he wanted — leading many fans to believe Mayweather waited to accept the bout until he felt age had taken a bit of sting out of Pacquiao’s famously vicious punches. Both fighters are now much more than a decade removed from their primes, but Mayweather and Pacquiao remain two of the biggest names in boxing. After Mayweather beat Conor McGregor in 2017 and retired with a 50-0 record, he spent much of his 40s competing in lucrative boxing “exhibitions” against YouTubers and fringe competitors while largely maintaining his lavish lifestyle outside the ring. He is currently in legal disputes with multiple alleged creditors over issues ranging from unpaid rent on a Manhattan apartment to outstanding jewelry bills. Mayweather has announced another exhibition against 59-year-old Mike Tyson this spring, although the bout still doesn’t have a location or date. Pacquiao ran unsuccessfully for the presidency of his native Philippines and then lost in the Philippine Senate election last May. He returned to the ring two months after that political setback, fighting WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios to a majority draw while trying to become the oldest 147-pound champion. The rematch is the latest bout to land on Netflix as the platform continues to scoop up top fights for its live sports programming. The streamer showcased Terence Crawford’s victory over Canelo Álvarez last year, and it will present heavyweight champ Tyson Fury’s comeback bout in April. The Sphere venue, which opened in 2023, hosted a UFC show in 2024. UFC President Dana White said the promotion had to pay roughly $20 million to produce that show — about 10 times more than a normal UFC pay-per-view event — because of the venue’s unusual capabilities and requirements. ___ AP boxing: https://apnews.com/boxing
