Mayweather vs. Pacquiao 2: Why now… and do fans really want to see it?

The boxing world woke up to the news of this streaming giant Netflix A rematch is expected to be held between floyd mayweather jr And Manny Pacquiao It’s been more than a decade since their first meeting.

Pacquiao ended a nearly four-year retirement over the summer by nearly defeating reigning WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios, while Mayweather has not fought competitively since 2017.

Many fights have received similar levels of attention, finance and respect over the years, but no fight has impacted all three at the same time the way Mayweather vs. Pacquiao did.

But why is the rematch being set up now, and will fans be interested in seeing the two legends meet again?

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What happened in the first fight?

The biggest criticism of the first fight was that fans waited too long to see Mayweather and Pacquiao in the ring. By 2008 it was clear that the pair had a strong argument to be seen as boxing’s pound-for-pound stars after claiming world titles at various weights.

Talks were ongoing in 2009, although Mayweather said he was still retired after his win over Ricky Hatton in 2007. After defeating Juan Manuel Marquez in a comeback fight, Mayweather stated that the fight would not be made due to disagreements over purse division.

Fast forward another year, and negotiations resumed – but were put on hold due to disagreements over drug testing. Mayweather revived the conversation in 2012, only for the aforementioned Marquez to knock out Pacquiao, taking away his star power in the process. Yet the pair have had a heated spat in the media and online, leading fans to expect a feud to happen soon.

But they had to wait for the next three years, when the fight was finally scheduled for May 2015.

The fight itself was a bit of a damp squib, with both boxers clearly out of their prime. Mayweather was strong defensively and cruised to a unanimous decision victory, with one judge scoring it 118–110, with the other two scoring it more conservatively at 116–112. Pacquiao attributed his weak performances to a shoulder injury; That, and the conditions of the fight, were made worse by Mayweather’s desire to win.

Further controversy arose from Mayweather’s use of IV fluids, a practice that was permitted by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency but was not approved by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the governing body in charge of sanctioning fights.

Why would they want a rematch?

For Pacquiao, it would provide a chance to right a mistake made a decade ago. Some of Pacman’s most memorable matches were rematches, including his four-match set with Marquez. Being the one to snatch Mayweather’s impressive 50-0 undefeated record would also be invaluable for the Filipino icon.

Mayweather certainly holds this fight close to his heart, having made countless references to his win over Pacquiao in the 10 years since the fight. In 2018 he also said that a rematch would be made, although at that time he had begun his most recent retirement.

By defeating Pacquiao for the second time, Mayweather would strengthen his claim to be the best pound-for-pound boxer of the 21st century, and put to rest all previous doubts.

Of course, personal glory would take precedence over the financial gains both men would get from such a fight. Mayweather made his entire persona dependent on his ability to generate money; Pacquiao’s political efforts and efforts to bring his promotion company to the United States will also require investment.

Is it all about money?

Netflix has been alerted to the possibilities of boxing jake paul Of all the influencers turned boxers proving that big names can sell any fight. Last year, career cruiserweight Paul fought the heavyweight legend. Mike Tyson Joe was 58 years old at the time and nearly 20 years away from his last competitive fight – in a professional bout.

Nearly 65 million fans watched as Paul fought a man more than twice his age and surprisingly won by unanimous decision.

For his part in the fight, Paul reportedly earned $40 million, while Tyson took home a smaller but still substantial $20 million.

Nevertheless, the Mayweather and Pacquiao meeting in 2015 reportedly generated $600 million in revenue, highlighting the difference in earning potential. Of course, Mayweather vs. Pacquiao was a PPV, while Paul vs. Tyson was available to subscribers at no additional cost.

The purses and earnings in 2024 will likely be closer to Paul and Tyson, so Mayweather and Pacquiao will need to decide whether it is worth meeting in the ring once again for a significantly lower figure than their first fight.

Will the current fight plans of both men be affected?

Pacquiao is actively looking for opponents to fight in early 2026. He has been linked with WBA welterweight champion Rollie Romero, while Britain’s Conor Benn has also been floated as a potential foe.

But Pacquiao is not the only one planning a fight, as Mayweather has been announced to fight Tyson in an exhibition bout next year.

However, there are no concrete plans for either one – but it may be in the hands of the promoters. By having Pacquiao and Mayweather compete in high-profile contests first, they can generate hype, interest, and most importantly, demand for a rematch later in 2026.

Who will be the favourite?

Pacquiao continued to fight competitively for a few years after Mayweather’s retirement; He has returned to the ring after a gap of four years. Some argued that his performance over WBC welterweight champion Barrios over the summer was enough to win and take the belt, but Pacman instead had to be satisfied with a draw,

However, Mayweather is not completely out of the ring. He has been involved in several exhibition bouts this decade and has arguably influenced the rise of the Misfits. youtubers logan paul and KSI’s brother Deji Olatunji. He has also trained the next generation of fighters, keeping his finger on the pulse of the sport.

It should be mentioned that rematches rarely produce different results. Mayweather’s defensive style proved a difficult proposition for Pacquiao in the first fight, and the Filipino now lacks the speed and power he once possessed.

Do fans want to see it?

One has to believe that if Netflix were to explore the possibility, enough people would be interested in giving Mayweather and Pacquiao a run. Pacquiao remains a legendary figure in his home country of the Philippines, while American fight fans have proven they will watch high-profile boxing, with 41 million viewers tuning in for Terence Crawford’s shock victory over Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in September.

It remains to be seen whether it will attract the same amount of attention from casual fans. Pacquiao and Mayweather have fallen away from mainstream sports, especially in the United States. The fact that both men are in their 40s further reduces the luster of the contest, while as things stand there will be no world title shot involved.

That being said, Pacquiao is expected to face WBA welterweight champion Romero in January, potentially putting the belt on the line. It remains to be seen if that fight will still go ahead as Pacquiao would risk a big payout by losing to a lesser name.

With boxing purists concerned about how the sport has catered to more casual markets over the years, crossover boxing and exhibition bouts are becoming increasingly popular.

Mayweather will confirm this – his fight with UFC star conor mcgregor as it was in 2017 Main event can be one-sidedBut concerns over the quality of the fight will be ignored by organizers if they are confident of garnering a large enough viewership.

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