Mayweather vs. Pacquiao: Boxing legends set for epic rematch in Las Vegas
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Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao are set to meet in a long-awaited rematch this September at the “Saphir” Hall in Las Vegas, as announced by Netflix.
The match brings together two of the biggest names in boxing, who first faced off in a historic 2015 showdown and are now in their late forties. It comes just days after Mayweather announced his return from retirement.
The fight will be broadcast live on September 19 via Netflix, as part of the global platform’s expansion into streaming live exhibition sporting events.
Manny Pacquiao (47) said in a joint statement: “Floyd and I gave the world what remains the biggest fight in boxing history. Fans have waited long enough, and they deserve this second showdown.”
Floyd Mayweather Jr. defeated Manny Pacquiao in their 2015 bout, dubbed the “Fight of the Century,” which set a record with 4.6 million pay-per-view buys, even though it fell short of expectations.
It is believed that Floyd Mayweather Jr. earned around $300 million from his unanimous decision victory over Filipino star Manny Pacquiao, in a fight that remains the most lucrative in sports history, generating revenues of more than $600 million.
Mayweather Jr., a multi-weight world champion, retired in 2017 with an undefeated record of 50–0, but has continued to compete in exhibition bouts, including a highly anticipated matchup this spring against Mike Tyson.
Meanwhile, Manny Pacquiao, also a multi-weight champion, stepped away from boxing in 2021 for four years following an unsuccessful bid for the presidency of the Philippines, before coming out of retirement last year.
"One Defeat"
Speculation about a rematch between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao has grown in recent years and intensified again after Mayweather announced last week that he would return to the ring this year.
Mayweather said in the statement: "I faced Manny and defeated him once. The result will be the same this time."
Manny Pacquiao responded: “I want Floyd to carry the only defeat in his professional record and always remember who gave it to him.”
This will be the first fight of its kind to take place inside Saphir, a venue opened in 2023 primarily for concerts and cinematic shows, featuring a massive 160,000-square-foot screen that wraps around its curved interior walls.
The platform has recently expanded its presence in live sports, drawing around 41 million viewers for the super middleweight clash between Terence Crawford and Canelo Álvarez in Las Vegas last September.
It also streamed high-profile matches, including the November 2024 encounter between YouTube star Jake Paul and Mike Tyson (58 years old), as well as Paul’s bout against Anthony Joshua last December.
Despite criticism regarding their technical quality, these matches drew widespread global attention.
"Glory"
Floyd Mayweather Jr., nicknamed “Money,” was the highest-paid athlete in the world during his career, having fought his final professional bout in 2017 against UFC star Conor McGregor.
The 48-year-old American star is a controversial figure, frequently criticized for his overly defensive style and accused of avoiding tougher opponents to preserve his undefeated record. He has also served time in jail in connection with several domestic violence cases.
Manny Pacquiao, nicknamed “The National Fist” in his country and known globally as “Pac-Man,” is a world champion across eight weight classes. He holds a prominent place in the Philippines due to his rags-to-riches story: he dropped out of school at 14 and worked selling fried doughnuts and arranging goods in stores.
He also pursued a political career, serving as a senator from 2016 to 2021 before stepping away temporarily to run unsuccessfully for the presidency.
Manny Pacquiao returned to boxing last year, finishing his fight against Mario Barrios in a draw, bringing his record to 62 wins, 8 losses, and 3 draws.
Pacquiao said, “As always, I dedicate this fight to my fellow Filipinos around the world, bringing glory to the Philippines.”