At 47 years old, eight-division boxing world champion Manny Pacquiao is officially stepping back into the ring to face 49-year-old Floyd Mayweather in a blockbuster skilled rematch scheduled for September 19, 2026, on the Sphere in Las Vegas. While critics have heavily scrutinized the viability of two aging ex-champions coming out of retirement, Pacquiao has swiftly dismissed concerns over his physical decline by pointing on to his basketball initiatives.
The Filipino icon credited his and Mayweather’s discipline, claiming that nothing has modified because the two last fought.
“Well each of us are disciplined fighters. So him and me we’ve taken care of our body. And I all the time work out almost day-after-day, and playing basketball like that. Without delay, I still can fight. I feel like I still am young, nothing has modified,” he explained on ESPN SportsCenter.
At 47, Pacquiao uses high-paced pick-up games to keep up his fitness. In a recent Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) executive game, the 47-year-old posted a staggering triple-double stat line: 33 points including five three-pointers, 11 rebounds, and 15 assists.
Because the founder and CEO of the MPBL, Pacquiao has fundamentally transformed the local sports landscape. His regionally-based league boasts an enormous 30-team roster, significantly outpacing the 12-team franchise model of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Ahead of the MPBL’s eighth season launching in April 2026, Pacquiao recently secured a serious broadcast and sponsorship partnership with SportsPlus.
And while Pacquiao himself has kept up physically, he also claimed the rematch was what the fans wanted and deserved.
“Floyd and I gave the world what stays the largest fight in boxing history. The fans have waited long enough. They deserve this rematch. I need Floyd to live with the one loss on his skilled record and all the time remember who gave it to him,” he said per ESPN.
Hence, not only is the Filipino unperturbed by concerns over fitness, he can be intent on lending one other chapter to his rivalry with Mayweather.