Legendary Boxing Rivals Agree to Return for High-Profile Rematch

Boxing icons Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. are set to renew their storied rivalry, having agreed to face each other in a professional rematch scheduled for September.

The bout will take place at the cutting-edge Sphere in Las Vegas on Saturday, 19 September, with the fight to be streamed live on Netflix.

Mayweather, 48, revealed last week that he would step back into professional competition for the fourth time, ending his latest retirement. The American has not competed in a sanctioned bout since stopping Conor McGregor via 10th-round technical knockout in their 2017 crossover contest.

Pacquiao, now 47, walked away from boxing in 2021 to focus on his political ambitions but returned to action in July last year. He fought WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios, earning a draw as the titleholder retained his belt.

The two legends first clashed in 2015 in a bout dubbed the “Fight of the Century,” which went on to become the most lucrative event in boxing history. That contest, held in Las Vegas, ended with Mayweather claiming a clear unanimous decision victory.

Details regarding the number of rounds and weight division for the upcoming rematch have yet to be confirmed.

Reflecting on the renewed showdown, Pacquiao — a 12-time world champion across eight weight classes — said the original fight changed boxing history and insisted fans had waited long enough for a second chapter. He added that he intends to hand Mayweather his first professional defeat.

Mayweather, who turns 49 this week and boasts a perfect 50-0 record with 27 knockouts, dismissed the challenge, stating that the outcome would mirror their first encounter.

Since retiring in 2017, Mayweather has remained active through exhibition appearances and is also scheduled to meet Mike Tyson later this year. That bout will mark Tyson’s first outing since his controversial loss to Jake Paul following a 19-year absence from the ring.

Pacquiao previously revealed in October that negotiations for a rematch were close, noting that mutual understanding between the two camps was key.

Their 2015 meeting generated an unprecedented 4.6 million pay-per-view purchases and a live gate of $72 million at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Organisers confirmed that further information on the undercard and ticket sales will be released in the coming weeks.