Boxing

Manny Pacquiao Gives Cryptic Answer When Asked About Floyd Mayweather Rematch Desire

Manny Pacquiao got honest when asked about potentially rematching Floyd Mayweather.
Grant Young|
Former Filipino boxing star Manny Pacquiao speaks during a news conference on October 11, 2022.
Former Filipino boxing star Manny Pacquiao speaks during a news conference on October 11, 2022. | IMAGO / Newscom / Yonhap News

With 46-year-old boxing icon Manny Pacquiao making his return to the ring on July 19 against Mario Barrios (which comes about four years since his last professional fight), many fans of the sweet science have been reminiscing on the incredible career Pacquiao has had.

The "Pac Man" currently holds a 62-8-2 professional record with 39 KOs. However, it was one of his losses that is largely considered the biggest fight in the sport's history.

This is the bout Pacquiao had against Floyd "Money" Mayweather, which took place on May 2, 2015, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Paradise, Nevada. Although this fight took place well past both Mayweather and Pacquiao's respective primes and about five years after fans were clamoring for it, the bout still drew an estimated 4.6 million pay-per-view buys and grossed $410 million, making it the highest-grossing fight in boxing history.

Mayweather ultimately earned a unanimous decision win over Pacquiao, and the fight was criticized by many for not living up to the hype it had been building for years, in terms of the actual performances.

Fast forward over a decade, and this fight is still on the minds of many, especially given Pacquiao's return to the ring. And in a June 19 episode of the Cigar Talk podcast, Pacquiao sent a clear message when asked about a potential rematch with Mayweather.

When Pacquiao was asked whether he thinks the outcome of his first Mayweather fight would have been different if it had taken place five years prior, all he had to do was nod his head and start laughing. Pacquiao was then asked whether he would be interested in potentially rematching Mayweather after fighting Barrios.

"I'm not thinking about that, the [Mayweather] rematch, but I'm thinking about Barrios, because Barrios is a champion also. We cannot underestimate him," Pacquiao said. "So we have to focus on [Barrios], and then let's talk about after the fight, and what's next."

While Pacquiao didn't give too much away, it sounds like he's open to entertaining a Mayweather rematch after fighting Barrios as long as Floyd is willing.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young is a Staff Writer for On SI’s Boxing, New York Mets, Indiana Fever, and Women’s Fastbreak sites. Before joining SI in 2024, he wrote for various boxing and sports verticals such as FanBuzz and NY Fights. Young has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s degree in creative writing with an emphasis on sports nonfiction from the University of San Francisco, where he played five seasons of Division 1 baseball. He fought Muay Thai professionally in Thailand in 2023, loves a good essay, and is driven crazy trying to handle a pitpull puppy named Aura. Young lives in San Diego and was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.