Potential Mayweather vs Pacquiao Rematch is a Sad Indictment
Word is circulating through boxing circles that Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao are in negotiations for a rematch in 2026. If true, it’s yet another troubling sign of how far the sport has drifted from its prime.
Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs) is now 48 years old, while Pacquiao (62-8-3, 39 KOs) is 46. That’s practically AARP members, in boxing terms. Yet their names still carry enough commercial weight to draw attention. Some major broadcaster would undoubtedly air the bout, and a segment of the public would tune in, driven by nostalgia or curiosity.
The sad reality is that this spectacle says more about today’s boxing climate than it does about either man’s legacy. It underscores how the current generation of fighters has failed to seize control of the sport. Today’s stars love to bark on social media and trade callouts. However, when it comes to doing the grunt work, behind-the-scenes negotiating, and compromising to make the big fights happen, the effort is practically non-existent.
As a result, they struggle to capture mainstream appeal, and boxing risks sliding further toward irrelevance in the broader sports world. The top fighters and world champions in their primes have dropped the ball, leaving the door wide open for Mayweather and Pacquiao to step back in and steal the spotlight when both should be enjoying their retirements, not lacing up the gloves again.
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