Pacquiao vs. Mayweather II: What’s Really On The Line?
The boxing world is set to witness a rematch between two of the sport’s greatest icons in Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather later this year on September 19 (September 20 in the Philippines) at The Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.
While the hype is warranted, two questions immediately come to mind.
Will an Older — but Healthier — Manny Pacquiao Change the Outcome?
The biggest “what if” for a lot of boxing fans in the aftermath of Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather’s first encounter back in May 2015 was whether the former could have had a much better shot at victory had he not been hampered by a torn rotator cuff, which he injured during training camp. However, this information was not made public until after the fight, and it was an immediate lightning rod for controversy.
Pacquiao, now 47, is coming off a wondrous performance against then-reigning WBC welterweight king Mario Barrios last July that many saw as a win, but was instead ruled a draw. He’s also slated to have an exhibition bout with another former WBC welterweight titleholder, Ruslan Provodnikov, on April 18, which was announced about a week ago. It now looks as if this will be a tune-up for the Mayweather fight.
A fully healthy Pacquiao should offer a much better performance than he did in their first go-around, since he will have the entirety of his arsenal to work with. Meanwhile, Mayweather’s ring generalship is sure to take centerstage once more, since mental prowess historically ages better than an aggression-based offense.
On the flip side, this will be the 49-year-old’s first professional bout since he retired with a TKO win over Conor McGregor in August 2017. He has stayed active by engaging in exhibition bouts here and there, which should keep the ring rust away.
So for this second encounter, it now becomes a potentially more balanced fight: Pacquiao fighting at full strength, while “Money” fully leans on his efficiency and command of the ring.
Fans expecting a slugfest in this do-over are sure to be disappointed, mainly due to Father Time catching up. But for those who truly appreciate the “sweet science”? This could end up being one of the greatest in-ring chess matches in recent memory.
What is This Rematch Really For? Legacies or the “Business” of Boxing?
Eleven years since their initial encounter, the biggest question mark facing this rematch is not who comes out on top, but why now? Unlike then, both Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather hold no titles, and the former’s current ranking as the No. 3 147-pounder in the WBC and WBO standings matters little.
Instead, this match stands at the crossroads of where legacy, nostalgia, and economics meet, which, depending on who you ask, brings up an uncomfortable truth in boxing today: the biggest fights are rarely just about competition.
Their first meeting drew around 4.4 million PPV buys (over $400 million) plus a live gate of about $72 million, and it remains one of the most lucrative boxing fights of all time. With Netflix holding the rights to stream the rematch globally, the PPV numbers will not be a factor this time around, though the streaming giant has about 325 million subscribers. That number is likely to increase leading up to fight night.
However, reducing this encounter to a money grab would be unfair. For Pacquiao, this is probably his final chance to put a blemish on Mayweather’s perfect 50-0 record and right the wrongs from their 2015 showdown. On the other side of the coin, Mayweather has an opportunity to prove that his legacy should never be questioned again.
Boxing has never pretended that it is not a money sport; that much is true. Watching two bona fide legends duke it out, no matter how many years too late it may be, is still going to draw a sizable worldwide audience looking for a definitive conclusion to their decades-spanning rivalry.
