Former world boxing champion and senator Manny Paccquiao is expecting to face American rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a rematch this year.
Pacquiao made the announcement at the Rizin 45 mixed martial arts event in Japan, along with Rizin chief executive Nobuyuki Sakakibara.
The “Pacman” signed with Rizin in April 2019.
It remains to be seen if the planned rematch will be an exhibition bout or a full-fledged professional showdown.
“Can you please fight Floyd Mayweather next year?” Sakakibara asked Pacquiao in a video posted on Rizin’s social media accounts.
Pacquiao said: “Thank you so much for inviting me here again. I’m sorry for the last time that we promised we were going to fight this year, but like Sakakibara explained, this year I will see you here in Japan again with a big fight against …”
The former senator trailed off, and Sakakibara stepped in to say: “Floyd Mayweather.”
“Floyd Mayweather, yeah,” Pacquiao said. “I thought you didn’t want me to say that. But I’m excited for that. Thank you for always supporting Rizin, and thank you Sakakibara-san.”
No further details were announced.
Mayweather and Pacquiao fought in May 2015 in a bout billed the “Fight of the Century.” The American won via unanimous decision to keep his perfect record. The event also generated record-breaking revenues.
While both Pacquiao and Mayweather have since retired from professional boxing, they have both done exhibition matches.
Mayweather has fought 10 times in exhibitions, compiling a record of three wins and one no-contest, while three of his matches were not scored. He was last in action on June 11, 2023, fighting John Gotti III in a bout that was stopped in the sixth round after it devolved into a brawl.
Pacquiao has done one exhibition bout against YouTuber DK Yoo last December 2022. With Randy Caluag