A press conference to announce a Mayweather vs Pacquiao rematch in Tokyo on December 31 was called off amid interest from Showtime.
World Boxing News revealed that Showtime is interested in staging a second installment of the most lucrative Pay Per View ever produced.
Mayweather and Pacquiao traded blows in 2015. It was a match-up that sold over 4.7 million buys on SHO PPV.
Will Mayweather vs Pacquiao 2 happen?
Eight years on, and after several false starts, Mayweather vs Pacquiao 2 was set to happen over six rounds in Tokyo on a RIZIN New Year’s Eve event. A presser was set for Monday.
However, WBN then learned of Showtime wanting Mayweather to compete against Mikey Garcia on its final broadcast after 37 years in boxing.
Showtime is bowing out of the sport. The network will televise a massive show to say goodbye after one of the most lucrative TV runs ever.
Days after the Mayweather vs Garcia reports began, WBN stated that Mayweather facing Pacquiao would far exceed any interest from the fans.
Forums and social media were awash with groans that Mayweather could return to Showtime for Garcia rather than the fight everybody asked for against Pacquiao.
Now that the Mayweather vs Pacquiao announcement has been shelved, Showtime can negotiate to stage the event a few weeks earlier on their finale show.
Head of Boxing Stephen Espinoza is already lining up Danny Garcia, Erislandy Lara, and Keith Thurman to appear on the farewell.
Adding Mayweather vs Pacquiao 2 into the mix would be a massive coup, even if it’s an exhibition over eight or ten rounds. The Pay Per View price could justify eighty or ninety dollars a pop.
More will be uncovered in the coming days. Moreover, it’s been too long that the pair of legends have been kept apart again.
First fight
The first fight was a damp squib. Mayweather dominated Pacquiao in a twelve-round snoozefest. In the aftermath, Pacquiao cited a shoulder injury and called for a rematch.
Mayweather did not oblige. Instead, he ended his career with a contracted September 2015 clash after choosing Andre Berto as his final-ever professional opponent.
Pacquiao had undergone surgery on his shoulder but was ready to go again by April 2016. Floyd had no interest by then and was already enjoying retirement.
It wasn’t until August 2017 that Mayweather was tempted to fight again when Conor McGregor called. Making another huge paycheck, Mayweather felt no need to face Pacquiao again.
By 2019, Mayweather was over the hill as Pacquiao continued to impress at welterweight. “Pac-Man” became the oldest world champion at the weight that summer. But with the win came further distance from a Mayweather exhibition.
Now that Pacquiao is pushing 45, Mayweather is interested again. Hopefully, boxing fans can witness one more episode of the drama as Showtime walks away from the sport for good.
It remains big business.
Phil Jay is an experienced boxing news writer.
Editor of World Boxing News since 2010.
