Back in 2015, this Last Rounder had a blast covering live the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight over FM Station Y101 with the one and only John Magat. I thought I had the Pacman slightly ahead on the cards, but of course, it was probably the whisky buzz that got to me while we were having a liquid lunch on air.
More than a decade later, the long-awaited and much-delayed rematch was finally announced for September 19, 2026, at The Sphere in Las Vegas and streamed on Netflix.
Then, just like that, a few months later, talks came out that it was postponed indefinitely.
PURISTS. Majority of the fans groaned in disappointment, but some boxing purists breathed a sigh of relief for the cancellation of a rematch we never truly needed — if all we got are archaic versions of these gladiators who once inhabited the apex of the sport.
Truth was, many walked away disappointed from the first fight. Mayweather’s defensive masterpiece — constant movement, shoulder rolls, clinches, was able to neutralize Pacquiao’s legendary speed and aggression. The fight was widely labeled “boring,” “clinical,” and a massive letdown compared to the decade-plus buildup. To console themselves, some said at least it was better late than never.
Adding insult to injury, Pacquiao fought with a torn right rotator cuff suffered in training-and Mayweather, for his part, showed little interest in granting an immediate rematch.
TOO LATE. Mayweather is 49 and Pacquiao 47. The original fight had already come several years too late for their peaks. Another decade-plus on top of that turned the proposed rematch into something closer to a nostalgia exhibition than a competitive contest.
Aging fighters don’t suddenly rediscover prime explosiveness. Pacquiao’s once-devastating left hand has irretrievably lost its snap. Mayweather’s reflexes are no longer what they were in 2015. The styles that produced a low-action match in their first fight would have produced something even slower, more cautious, and riskier in their advanced age. Let’s just say what needs to be said- this was nothing more than a cash-grab.
DRAMA. From the start, the 2026 rematch was plagued by problems. Mayweather reportedly wanted it as an exhibition, while Pacquiao’s camp insisted on a sanctioned professional bout going into their records. Promoters alleged that Mayweather took millions in advance payments for both the Pacquiao rematch and a Mike Tyson exhibition that never materialized.
To make matters worse, lawsuits, financial gridlock, and scheduling chaos surrounded Mayweather’s camp. The fight was pulled from The Sphere and postponed indefinitely, with the earliest possible date pushed to early 2027.
To me, why bother?
There’s a flashing neon sign that everybody should just read- the fight was never meant to happen. A rematch burdened by lawsuits, contract disputes, and questions about whether it would even count on the record is just too much drama.. And you know what, I predict that this would be the peak of of the action already- the fight itself has the potential to be a sleeper and a bummer.
Both legends have nothing left to prove. Duking it out in their advanced ages for one more payday would have risked diminishing both legacies for the sake of nostalgia dollars.
Boxing doesn’t need another slow, low-output “legend vs. legend” fight that leaves viewers checking their phone messages by round 5. The sport needs new names , fresh rivalries and rising stars.
I would have loved to cover it again on air—but if that happens, I probably won’t be imbibing any whisky. Coffee would be my drink of choice so I won’t doze off.
LAST ROUND. It’s on Clay Space who celebrates his birthday this week here in Cebu with wife Bianca, and kids Eli and Anya. Cheers!