Manny Pacquiao has thrown a jab at Floyd Mayweather, claiming his old rival is "scared" of a rematch. The Filipino boxer made this bold statement as he gets ready for his upcoming fight on July 19.
The rivalry between Pacquiao and Mayweather has been going strong for over a decade. Even though both fighters have hung up their gloves from professional boxing, the tension between them hasn't cooled down one bit.
Their first and only fight took place on May 2, 2015, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Mayweather came out on top with a unanimous decision win. The fight was a clash of styles, with Mayweather sticking to his trademark counter-punching and defensive approach, while Pacquiao tried to be more aggressive.
After the fight, both boxers had something to say. Mayweather defended his strategy, mentioning a shoulder injury. Pacquiao, on the other hand, believed he should have won the fight.
The 2015 bout was a massive financial success. It raked in $4.6 million in pay-per-view buys and over $600 million in total revenue.
But the lead-up to the fight wasn't all smooth sailing. Mayweather made some controversial comments about Pacquiao that many saw as racist. He called Pacquiao a "yellow fool" and said, "Once I beat up the dwarf, I'll ask the bastard to make me a sushi roll and cook me rice." Mayweather later claimed he was just joking around and wasn't being racist.
Since retiring in 2021, Pacquiao has been vocal about wanting a rematch with Mayweather, even if it's just an exhibition fight. Now, as he gets ready to face Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight division championship on July 19 in Las Vegas, Pacquiao has taken another shot at Mayweather.
"He's scared,"Pacquiao said, referring to Mayweather's reluctance to step into the ring with him again.
It looks like this rivalry isn't going to end anytime soon. As Pacquiao focuses on his upcoming fight, the boxing world will be watching to see if Mayweather responds to this latest taunt.
