Back in May 2015, Mayweather and Pacquiao finally met in the ring after years of failed negotiations. The fight, held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, was one of the biggest in boxing history. At the time, Mayweather held the WBA and WBC welterweight titles with a perfect 47-0 record. Pacquiao came in as the WBO welterweight champion with a 57-5-2 record.
The event was a massive commercial success, pulling in over 4 million pay-per-view buys and generating more than $72 million in gate revenue. Mayweather won by unanimous decision, cementing his status as the top boxer of his generation.
After that fight, the two fighters' careers took different paths. Mayweather retired in 2017 with a perfect 50-0 record. Pacquiao kept going, becoming a world champion twice more before losing his last professional fight to Yordenis Ugas in August 2021.
Now, talks of a rematch have surfaced, but with a twist. Pacquiao told Seconds Out:
"I can fight Floyd again. He wants an exhibition, I said ok I can fight exhibition, but there has to be [a judges'] decision."
Mayweather's request for an exhibition match, rather than a professional bout, makes sense. He's been favoring these types of fights lately, as they offer financial benefits without risking his undefeated professional record.
Pacquiao agreed to the exhibition idea but added his own condition. He wants judges to score the fight, ensuring a clear winner is declared.
Both fighters have dabbled in exhibition matches since stepping away from professional boxing. However, fans might worry that a second fight could take away from the significance of their original clash.
In other news, Pacquiao has made waves by calling out Gervonta Davis, the current WBA lightweight champion, with a bold message. The Filipino icon seems eager to prove he's still got what it takes to compete at the highest level.