Arum: Manny Pacquiao rematch with Floyd Mayweather likely
Boxing promoter Bob Arum says WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao will fight again in the spring and adds that the chances of a rematch with Floyd Mayweather are at "75%."
Pacquiao (59–6–2, 38 KOs) beat Jessie Vargas by unanimous decision on Saturday night in Las Vegas to regain the welterweight belt. He came out of retirement after being elected to the Senate of the Philippines in May, sayings a politician's salary was not enough to make a living.
"Like everyone else, I'm guessing there will be a rematch." Arum told ESPN.com. "I give it 75%. Do I know it's gonna happen? No. Do I know if Floyd wants the fight? No. I know nothing more than the public knows at this point and what I observed."
Pacquaio lost to Mayweather by unanimous decision in May 2015. The fight shattered the pay-per-view record with 4.4 million buys, which generated more than $400 million in revenue. The almost 17,000 spectators at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas paid nearly $72 million to see the fight.
Pacquiao made approximately $150 million and Mayweather took home $250 million for that fight.
Mayweather (49–0, 26 KOs) has not fought since beating Andre Berto in September 2015, but he did attend Pacquiao's fight on Saturday.
"Floyd came to the fight and he was very friendly with [Top Rank president] Todd [duBoef] and some of our staff," Arum said . "Now, that doesn't mean that the fight will happen, but if it does, it won't take a long time to make because the animosity that was there before the first fight is gone. There's no more animosity between the camps."
– Scooby Axson
