Boxing fans had to wait years before Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao clashed in a ring. They may not have to wait quite as long to see the rematch if it takes place.
Despite Pacquiao being expected to miss anywhere between four and 12 months due to shoulder surgery, per Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times and Dan Rafael of ESPN.com, Mayweather reportedly texted ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith on Tuesday, stating he would be willing to fight Pac-Man again when he’s healthy, per SportsCenter on Twitter.
It is unclear what venue the event would be held at, though Stephanie Smith of the New York Post reported the MGM Grand is backing away from hosting the potential rematch::
The proposed rematch of the welterweights was going to be timed to the opening of the MGM Grand’s new $375 million, 20,000-seat arena in May 2016. The first big event at the venue will be a concert by an unspecified artist, and the Mayweather-Pacquiao matchup would have come next.
But now Vegas insiders say that the hotel giant’s backing away from the idea because the fight—while pulling in unprecedented millions—underwhelmed fans and was a logistical nightmare.
Given the definitive nature of Mayweather’s win in the first fight, some fans might be asking why a rematch is necessary at all. Mayweather landed more punches and had Pacquiao chasing shadows as he danced around the ring.
However, Pacquiao planted the tiniest seed of doubt regarding his performance after revealing that a shoulder injury limited him in the ring.
“It’s part of the game,” he said, per The Associated Press and ESPN.com’s Brett Okamoto. “I don’t want to make alibis or complain or anything … [but] it’s hard to fight one-handed.”
Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated countered, providing his opinion on the shoulder injury:
Not questioning Pacquiao’s injury. But it wouldn’t have made a difference, as Arum suggests. This Manny isn’t beating this Floyd.
— Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixSI) May 3, 2015
Perhaps Pacquiao can be more competitive at 100 percent in the event that he gets through his training unfazed. That will be the sliver of hope his fans hang on to as they envision a different outcome in the rematch.
Retired boxer Shane Mosley doesn’t see a rematch serving much purpose, while former pro boxer David Haye shared his thoughts on how dominant Mayweather was:
The Telegraph’s Oliver Brown, meanwhile, wrote that at no point did Pacquiao look to be in serious danger, so the result may not have been as one-sided as it seemed:
While Mayweather’s victory was wide, it was not altogether conclusive. Pacquiao, who cut a smiling and oddly detached figure for parts of this fight, was not hurt once in a match that failed to produce a single knockdown. The subsequent flare-up of ‘Shoulder-gate’, as Pacquiao claimed he was carrying an injury that stopped him using his right hand to full effect, muddied the waters further. If there is any question that the Filipino was restricted in his powers—and his fading in the second half of the contest gave every sign—then the clamour for an encore will grow.
Mayweather and Pacquiao are also set to collect another massive payday. Their combined haul for their first fight in May was estimated at around $300 million, per The New York Times. Money talks, and when you’re talking about that amount of money, it’s nearly impossible to say no.
The dollar figure for Mayweather vs. Pacquiao 2 would likely come somewhere under that total if it ever happens. But Mayweather and Pacquiao would almost certainly earn more facing each other than they would facing other opponents.
The sport is seriously suffering from a lack of marketable talent, and many critics argue the big pay-per-views have simply become a cycle of the same small set of stars time and again.
However, Mayweather and Pacquiao are by far the two biggest names in boxing. They continue to bring more attention to the sport than anybody else, and the more eyes drawn toward the ring the better.
