Manny Pacquiao and Jas Mathur, CEO of Manny Pacquiao Promotions and Limitless X Holdings, spoke with ESPN about the announced rematch with Michigan native Floyd Mayweather Jr., nearly 11 years after their first meeting.
Mayweather Jr. won a unanimous decision in their 2015 fight, a bout that broke pay-per-view records and helped define both fighters’ legacies.
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The rematch is scheduled for Sept. 19 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, an event Pacquiao described as a first-of-its-kind boxing show for the venue and a global platform featuring Netflix.
“It just happened that I’m still active in boxing and then he come out from retirement. So, uh, and he decided to, uh, to do it again. So, this is it. Like, I’m so excited for the fight,” said Pacquiao.
Mayweather Jr. officially came out of retirement and will meet professionally in the rematch with Pacquiao, which was officially announced on Monday (Feb. 23).
Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs) and Pacquiao (62-8-3, 39 KOs) are two of boxing’s biggest names and last fought in 2015 in what promoters called the richest fight in boxing history.
Mayweather Jr. said, “I already fought and beat Manny once. This time will be the same result.”
The 2015 matchup generated 4.6 million pay-per-view buys and a live gate of $72 million at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, and they characterized the 2026 event as a once-in-a-generation spectacle made possible by Sphere’s immersive production technology.
Pacquiao said he has learned from the 2015 fight and that both fighters are now more mature.
“Oh, yeah. I learned a lot when that fight, um, way back in 2015. Um, I think uh we uh we become mature right now and uh how to uh handle it and like you know I hope that uh it will not happen again like uh um the way it is uh last 2015 you know it’s uh the experience is like uh um not really 100% but um I’m hoping for this time around no more excuses. Uh, especially to my condition and also uh for everything like I’m so excited and ready to fight. Um, although uh um before he wants an exhibition with me, but I don’t I didn’t I disagree and I don’t I don’t want to fight with exhibition with him. I want to fight a real fight like this. So this is it. Like this is uh what I’m waiting for.”
Manny Pacquiao
When asked about injuries and age, Pacquiao emphasized daily training and his condition.
“Well, both of us are uh disciplined fighters. So, um, him and me, um, we’re taking care of our bodies, and then I always work out, uh, almost every day, and we play basketball, like that. So uh right now I’m I still can fight like uh I feel like I’m still young. I mean, nothing changed,” Pacquiao said.
Mathur said organizing the event inside of the Sphere in Las Vegas required time, the right partners, and a large platform to reach a global audience.
“This was a lot of work. Uh, it took a lot of time. I mean, many tried and many, you know, I wouldn’t say failed, but planted seeds.
Um, it just took the right time and, you know, having the right team in place to be able to get it done, right?
It was really a timing thing, and all the right people involved in the deal to help make it happen. And of course, having Netflix being uh uh you know a global phenomenon, right?
I mean, we’ll have hundreds of millions of people viewing this uh there’s so many additional opportunities that come out of it.
So I you know I would say this is a more of a timing thing and the size of the platform, and of course, you know Manny came out of retirement. He did he did a return pro fight of last year.
Obviously, Floyd sees that. Floyd’s very competitive. He wants the same thing. He feels he can come in; he can do the same thing.
And you know, why not give it that chance? You know, they want to they’re both they’re both the best in the game.
They’re both world-renowned and uh and uh the sport would not be what it is without them.”
Jas Mathur, CEO of Manny Pacquiao Promotions and Limitless X Holdings
Mathur said dealmaking often stalled because too many intermediaries got in the way over the past 11 years.
“Uh, the biggest barrier would be uh, I would just say you know there’s sometimes there’s people in the way that just don’t present either the deal the right way or just don’t uh are not able to get it closed.
A lot of times, people will look after themselves rather than look after the fighters and the interests of what people want.
So that’s that’s really what it comes down to, right? When you have too many chefs in the kitchen, uh, it always spoils the food.”
Jas Mathur, CEO of Manny Pacquiao Promotions and Limitless X Holdings
Pacquiao offered a birthday wish for Mayweather Jr., who turned 49 on Feb. 24, 2026.
“Well, for me, I’m always wishing him the good uh, more birthdays to come, good health, and um, may God bless him and protect him always and give him good health. And of course, um, uh, this, uh, enjoying his, uh, life right now,” Pacquiao said.
Grand Rapids
Mayweather Jr. (49) was born and raised in Grand Rapids on Feb. 24, 1977.
He started his amateur career in Michigan when he was just 10 years old at Ottawa Hills High School before venturing off to become a global icon.
Mayweather Jr. went on to retire undefeated at 50-0 while becoming a five-division world champion.
Unretiring again
Mayweather Jr. retired following his 2017 knockout victory over future MMA Hall of Famer Conor McGregor for his 50th victory with 27 wins by stoppage.
He has fought in many exhibitions, including John Gotti III, Mikuru Asakura, and WWE star Logan Paul, to name a few.
As a tune-up, Mayweather Jr. will step into the ring to take on “Iron” Mike Tyson in the spring of 2026.
--> Michigan native Floyd Mayweather Jr. to fight Manny Pacquiao in Netflix rematch at Las Vegas Sphere