Floyd Mayweather Jr. Vs. Manny Pacquiao Rematch: Boxers Reportedly In Talks For One Final Bout
Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao are reportedly in talks for a rematch for their fight of the century, a bout that could be the final one for both boxers.
After years of negotiations that came close to securing a fight but ultimately fizzled, the two finally met in the ring this May, with Mayweather turning in a decisive win over Pacquiao. The fight generated more than $500 million in total revenue, including close to 4.4 million pay-per-view buys.
With the possibility of another half billion dollar bout, Pacquiao and Mayweather are now said to be in talks for a rematch.
Paying a visit to the AIBA World Boxing Championships, Pacquiao told AFP that he is trying to make a decision about who he will face for his final bout. Pacquiao said he plans to leave boxing after his next fight, with plans to run for a seat in the Philippines senate next year.
“The election is coming next year, May, and before that I will probably have one fight.”
If Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. are to have a rematch, it would take a change of heart for Mayweather. After his dominant defeat of Andre Berto in September, Mayweather has said he plans to retire from boxing.
“You got to know when to hang it up, and it’s time for me to hang it up,” Mayweather said (via ESPN). “I’m not going to be doing this when I’m 40 years old.
“There’s nothing else for me to do in the sport of boxing. I made great investments, I’m financially stable, well off. I had a great career. My record speaks for itself.”
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But few people think Floyd Mayweather Jr. will actually stay retired. His record stands at a perfect 49-0, and it seems very likely that he will go for the chance at 50-0, especially if it means the chance at another giant payday.
It is also likely that if Mayweather does return to the ring, it will be for one bout before he retires for real.
Pacquiao could be looking into backup plans if the negotiations fail. He is reportedly also in talks with Amir Khan, the British fighter who almost faced off against Mayweather.
Taz Khan, Amir’s uncle and manager, confirmed that talks are in the early stage.
“He’s always up for any fight if it’s on the table, he’ll take it.”
The site of a Pacquiao vs. Mayweather rematch would be in question as well. Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, said that they could pick Las Vegas but also said Pacquiao wasn’t happy after the Nevada Athletic Commission denied him a painkiller shot to help his rotator cuff injury before the Mayweather bout, the Las Vegas Review-Journal noted.
“We’ve got time to get everything figured out,” Arum said. “There’s a group in the mid-east that is still trying to get Manny to fight there so we have to see how that plays out. But Las Vegas makes the most sense because of the (HBO) pay per view.”
There are some conflicting reports on whether Pacquiao and Mayweather may meet in a rematch. Mayweather’s camp, Top Rank, has denied the reports that he is in negotiations.
There would likely be other roadblocks to a Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. rematch. Arum admitted that Pacquiao would have an April 9 deadline for the fight due to his desire to run for the senate, and in the past the negotiations between Pacquiao and Mayweather have taken months with a number of setbacks each time their camps sat down to put plans in place.
[Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images]
