Floyd Mayweather has disclosed that his highly anticipated rematch with Manny Pacquiao, scheduled for September, will be staged as an exhibition bout rather than a professional contest. This revelation casts significant uncertainty over whether the American boxing legend will officially return to the professional ranks, where he boasts an undefeated record.
Background of the Historic Rivalry
Mayweather and Pacquiao first collided over a decade ago in a bout famously dubbed the 'Fight of the Century'. That encounter, which took place in Nevada, saw Mayweather secure a unanimous points decision to retain the WBA, WBC, and WBO welterweight world titles. The event generated an astonishing reported revenue of £445 million, establishing it as the highest-grossing boxing match in history.
Details of the Upcoming Exhibition
The duo are now slated to renew their rivalry on September 19 this year in Las Vegas, with Netflix poised to broadcast the spectacle. Initially, many observers anticipated this would mark Mayweather's first professional fight since 2017. However, the 49-year-old has now thrown that assumption into question by explicitly labelling the contest an "exhibition" during a recent interview with Vegas Sports Today.
Mayweather also indicated that the proposed venue, the Las Vegas Sphere, is not yet confirmed despite being announced last month. He stated, "As of right now, we don't actually know where the fight is going to be at. The Sphere is one of the places that they talked about, so we don't know if it's 100% going to be there."
Mayweather's Clarification and Intentions
Elaborating on the nature of the bout, Mayweather added, "This is not actually a fight, it's an exhibition, so we're going to do it again and hopefully we'll entertain the people. We're both winners, it's an exhibition so we're both winners." This statement underscores his focus on entertainment rather than competitive stakes, suggesting his unbeaten professional record will not be on the line.
Recent Exhibition History and Upcoming Plans
Since 2017, Mayweather has participated in a series of exhibition matches, with the Pacquiao rematch previously thought to signal his return to professional boxing after his 2017 victory over MMA star Conor McGregor. As boxing's highest-paid athlete, with estimated career earnings of £1.18 billion, Mayweather is first scheduled to face Mike Tyson in another exhibition bout, reportedly set for April 25 in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Pacquiao's Comeback and Legacy
Meanwhile, Manny Pacquiao retired from boxing in 2021 to focus on his political career in the Philippines, but he made a comeback last year to fight Mario Barrios. With 62 wins from 73 bouts, Pacquiao holds the unique distinction of being the only boxer to capture world titles across eight different weight divisions.
The upcoming exhibition promises to reignite one of boxing's most storied rivalries, albeit in a non-professional format that prioritises fan entertainment over championship stakes.
