Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather were in talks for an exhibition fight for months, but Pacquiao wants Mayweather to live with an expert loss.
‘Pac Man’ returned to skilled boxing last July when he challenged Mario Barrios for the WBC world welterweight title, taking the champion to a majority draw.
Following that, the boxing legend was in talks for one more world title fight, but in addition declared his interest in a rematch against Floyd Mayweather.
And after months of talks, it was announced this past Monday that the 2 will rematch on the Sphere, live to tell the tale Netflix.
Pacquiao reveals he rejected exhibition bout against Mayweather
Since his retirement from skilled boxing back in 2017 after beating Conor McGregor to go 50-0, ‘Money’ Mayweather has been involved in several exhibition fights.
Pacquiao alternatively has continued to fight on the elite level, only competing in a couple of exhibition fights.
And while talks between the 2 were occurring earlier this 12 months, Pacquiao rejected an exhibition fight against his old rival in pursuit of pulling Mayweather out of skilled retirement.
“It just happened that I’m still lively in boxing and he got here out of retirement to do it again so that is it,” Pacquiao told Sportscenter.
“I learnt rather a lot from that fight way back in 2015, I believe we became mature in the right way to handle (the pressure) and I hope it doesn’t occur again prefer it did in 2015. I’m hoping for this time around, no more excuses especially to my condition and likewise for the whole lot.
“Before, he wanted an exhibition fight against me but I disagreed and I didn’t need to fight with exhibition (rules), I would like to fight an actual fight so that is it, that is what I’ve been waiting for,” Pacquiao continued.
In a press release, Pacquiao also stated that he desires to be the one fighter ever to beat ‘Money’ Mayweather, making him live with a loss.
“I would like Floyd to live with one loss on his skilled record and all the time remember who gave it to him.”
Pacquiao’s advisor claims the fight will probably be somewhere near welterweight
When the 2 clashed in probably the most successful boxing fight of all time back in 2015, they competed at welterweight, 147lbs.
And Pacquiao’s advisor Sean Gibbons has told Betway that their rematch on September 19 will likely happen at welterweight and will probably be contested over ’10 or 12 rounds’.
“As for the burden and the rounds, it’s still being discussed, but I consider it’ll be somewhere within the welterweight division and it’ll be 10 or 12 rounds.”