rematch

Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao made boxing history in 2015. More than a decade later, the two legends are hoping to do it again.

The aging greats will have their rematch Sept. 19 live on Netflix in the first boxing match held at the Las Vegas Sphere.

Mayweather defeated Pacquiao by unanimous decision on May 2, 2015 in the “Fight of the Century” at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. That fight generated 4.6 million pay-per-view buys and a live gate of $72 million, both of which are records.

It was a long-awaited matchup between two of the biggest names in the boxing world that ultimately earned Mayweather the World Boxing Council, World Boxing Assn. and World Boxing Organization welterweight titles.

“I already fought and beat Manny once,” Mayweather said in a statement released by Netflix. “This time will be the same result.”

The backdrop to this bout is a bit different. Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs) will be 49 on Tuesday. He has retired and unretired multiple times but has not fought in a bout that counts since his 10-round technical knockout of UFC star Conor McGregor in 2017.

Although he still has an exhibition against Mike Tyson coming up this spring, Mayweather announced last week he is resuming his professional career.

Pacquiao, 47, is 62-9-2 (39 KOs) and fought for a belt last July, losing by majority draw to then-WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios in an attempt to break his own record for oldest welterweight champion. Pacquiao was 40 when he defeated Keith Thurman for the title in 2019.

Pacquiao recently announced a a 10-round welterweight exhibition against former junior welterweight world champion Ruslan Provodnikov on April 18 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.

“Floyd and I gave the world what remains the biggest fight in boxing history,” Pacquiao said in a statement by Netflix. “The fans have waited long enough — they deserve this rematch, and it will be even bigger now that it will be streamed live globally on Netflix. I want Floyd to live with the one loss on his professional record and always remember who gave it to him.”

Boxing greats Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather have agreed a professional rematch in September.

Pacquiao, 47, and Mayweather, 48, will fight at Sphere in Las Vegas on Saturday, 19 September, with the bout live on Netflix.

Former world champion Mayweather announced he would come out of retirement for a fourth time last week.

It will be the American’s first professional fight since beating mixed martial arts fight Conor McGregor with a 10th-round technical knockout in 2017.

Eight-weight world champion Pacquiao retired from the sport to focus on his political career in 2021 but returned to the ring last July to fight WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios, who retained his title after a draw.

Mayweather and Pacquiao first met in 2015, in what was billed as the ‘Fight of the Century’.

It was Mayweather who emerged victorious, beating Pacquiao via a wide unanimous decision in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao said: “Floyd and I gave the world what remains the biggest fight in boxing history.

“The fans have waited long enough. They deserve this rematch.

“I want Floyd to live with the one loss on his professional record and always remember who gave it to him.”

Mayweather said: “I already fought and beat Manny once. This time will be the same result.”