We are hours away from bringing in the new year and leave it up to boxing to squeeze in one last announcement before the ball drops at Times Square in New York City. Former pound-for-pound great Manny Pacquiao (62-8-2, 39 KOs) announced on last night’s RIZIN 45 event that he will have a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr. (50-0, 27 KOs) in 2024.
Manny Pacquiao announces he’s fighting Floyd Mayweather on RIZIN in 2024 🤯 pic.twitter.com/EJ485tdFhO
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) December 31, 2023
Pacquiao was given the microphone during the event and said, “I hope to see you here in Japan again with a big fight against a umm.” Then someone in the ring (from RIZIN), who also had a microphone, interrupted and said, “Floyd Mayweather.” Pacquiao added, “Floyd Mayweather. Yea, I thought that you didn’t want me to say that (laughs). But I am excited for that. Thank you for always supporting RIZIN and all his promotions.”
This would likely be an exhibition match as there would be no need to do this as an official fight, with Pacquiao being 45 and Mayweather 46. The supposed rematch next year on RIZIN in Japan would come nine years after their record-setting event in Las Vegas, NV, where Mayweather earned a unanimous decision victory. It’s a nostalgic matchup for those in Japan, and although fans here in the States may not be interested, those who never had the opportunity to see those two fighters in the ring can now witness it if it all comes to fruition.
In other Mayweather news, he is expected to fight an exhibition in February during Super Bowl weekend against John Gotti III in Las Vegas, NV. It’s a rematch to their wild first fight, which Gotti III felt was stopped prematurely and a riot ensued in the ring. It’s not a matchup many are anticipating, but it will be an event that will be profitable for all parties involved.
If we get Mayweather vs. Pacquiao 2 next year, it isn’t going to be anywhere near the blockbuster of their 2015 matchup. Still, as it gets closer to fight time, the anticipation levels may rise to see what these two legends have left in a fight against each other.
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