With the Mike Zambidis face-off, Floyd Mayweather has checked the first box. Given what he said at the first press conference, it seems he’s prepared to tick another one: Manny Pacquiao.
As he deals with a string of lawsuits and confusion surrounding his fights, the latest update from the 50-0 star, who stirred debate around the Pacquiao rematch by saying it’s an exhibition and not a real fight, comes as welcome news for fans who have been waiting for something positive.
“Well, at this particular time,” he said at the presser. “I truly believe that. I know everybody is going to want to ask questions, you know, about the Pacquiao fight.”
“Like I said, the sport of boxing has truly changed,” Mayweather added. “We have a lot of new companies, a lot of new faces, and Netflix. I truly believe that we’ll get this done. I think we’re almost at the finish line to finish the Pacquiao fight, but a lot of things have changed in the sport of boxing, and eventually I think within the next 48 hours the Pacquiao fight should be done.”
That level of confidence is what fans had been waiting to hear for weeks. Confusion took over after news of the rematch between the two boxing legends first surfaced.
Speaking with the media earlier this year, Floyd Mayweather, who announced his return to professional boxing in February, said that the Pacquiao bout would be an exhibition and not an extension of their iconic clash from a decade ago.
Those comments immediately sparked backlash, particularly from Team Pacquiao, who slammed Mayweather for raising doubts over the rematch’s legitimacy.
“That’s not what we signed,” Pacquiao protested. “We signed for a real fight. He got his advance. Why is he announcing this propaganda exhibition?
“For me, he cannot get out of his contract because he is going to face a lot of consequences if he doesn’t fight and fails his commitment. I think he’s scared of losing. That’s his leverage, to go around and have exhibitions because of his undefeated record. If that record will be ruined, what else will he be able to leverage?”
And the confusion surrounding the fight only deepened from there.
Floyd Mayweather talks progress, but Pacquiao fight drama continues
The Mayweather-Pacquiao II was reportedly scheduled to take place at the Sphere in Las Vegas on September 19.
However, a recent development suggests the legendary rock band Eagles will perform on the same day at the nearly 20,000-capacity arena.
That development also raises fresh doubts about the fight’s reported timeline. If the Pacquiao rematch is still being negotiated, does that mean a new date and venue are now under consideration?
And the Manny Pacquiao rematch is not the only fight facing complications.
The exhibition match against Mike Tyson – the first checkbox in Mayweather’s list of fights – has also drifted into doubt.
Like the Pacquiao fight, Mayweather and his team remain optimistic that the exhibition, which was announced this past September and was originally expected to take place by April, will still happen.
Outside the ring, Mayweather is also dealing with mounting financial and legal pressure.
Most recently, he reportedly dropped a $100 million defamation case against Business Insider.
That followed last month’s $7.3 million IRS tax lien and another lawsuit from a private jet service over unpaid services worth $105k.
Of more immediate concern is Mayweather’s planned face-off against Mike Zambidis. The exhibition against the Greek kickboxer is set for next month in Athens.
But with reports claiming the IRS is notifying Mayweather of a potential passport revocation, another complication enters the picture. How is he going to fight if that happens?
If that fight also falls into doubt, then every box on Mayweather’s growing list could remain unchecked.
