Manny Pacquiao revealed that his upcoming rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr. became possible only after he insisted it be a real, fully sanctioned fight, not an exhibition.
The bout, scheduled for September 19 in Las Vegas and streaming globally on Netflix, comes more than a decade after their first 2015 fight, which Mayweather won by unanimous decision.
Pacquiao said he opposed an exhibition format because he wanted the stakes to matter both competitively and historically, especially after fighting the first bout with a torn rotator cuff.
Now 47, Pacquiao emphasized that the rematch allows both fighters to compete without excuses, with Mayweather’s perfect record again on the line.
The fight marks Mayweather’s return to fully sanctioned competition after years of exhibition bouts, while Pacquiao is preparing following a recent majority draw against Mario Barrios and a scheduled exhibition in April.
Source: PhilNews24 | March 1, 2026
