Floyd Mayweather slows down discussions regarding a rematch with Manny Pacquiao.
The anticipated rematch between boxing icons Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao appears to be uncertain, as indicated by Mayweather.
Mayweather was expected to conclude his nearly ten-year retirement against Pacquiao on September 19 at The Sphere, revisiting their 2015 high-profile bout. However, during a meet and greet at the MCM store within Caesar’s Palace on Saturday, Mayweather expressed some reservations about the upcoming fight, informing Vegas Sports Today that it would actually be an exhibition and might not occur at The Sphere.
“At this moment, we are unsure of the exact location for the fight,” Mayweather stated. “The Sphere is one of the venues that has been discussed. Therefore, we cannot confirm if it will definitely be held there. And this is not really a fight; it’s an exhibition.”
Mayweather’s comments contradicted Netflix’s announcement regarding the rematch in February, as well as a press release from Mayweather himself that indicated he would be resuming his boxing career and had entered into a multifight agreement with CSI Sports/Fight Sports.
Pacquiao’s team previously informed ESPN that he would only compete against Mayweather in a sanctioned professional match. Pacquiao recently came out of retirement last summer, when he faced Mario Barrios, resulting in a majority draw.
Mayweather, 49, also mentioned to Vegas Sports Today that he still intends to participate in an exhibition match with Mike Tyson, which was announced last year but currently lacks an official date or location. There is also no information regarding how the fight will be broadcast.
Compounding the uncertainty, Mayweather has also announced another exhibition with Greek kickboxer Mike Zambidis for June in Athens, which similarly does not have a specific date, venue, or broadcast details confirmed.
Initially, it seemed that returning from retirement for a rematch with Pacquiao was a certainty. Now, the prospects of Mayweather’s boxing career appear more ambiguous than ever.
“It’s an exhibition, so we are both winners,” Mayweather reiterated, emphasizing that his rematch with Pacquiao is not a professional fight. “We simply want to go out there, entertain the audience, and deliver a great show.”
