Back in 2010, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao were the top 2 boxers in the world. A Mayweather vs Pacquiao fight was in high demand, but it did not happen because Manny Pacquiao refused to agree to random Olympic-style blood and urine testing.
Five years later, Pacquiao had a change of heart as he agreed to the testing. Labeled as the “Fight of the Century,” the Mayweather vs Pacquiao mega fight took place on May 2, 2015.
Fans were thrilled to see Mayweather and Pacquiao share the ring, but they were disappointed in the product that was on display. In an underwhelming contest, Mayweather won by way of unanimous decision.
Mayweather would go on to fight for two more years and then retire in 2017. Manny Pacquiao would fight for six more years, and then retire after losing to Yordenis Ugas in 2021.
Fast forward to the year 2026, and the rumor mill was buzzing regarding a potential Mayweather vs. Pacquiao 2 bout. Turns out the rumor is a reality, and now the question is, will Mayweather vs. Pacquiao 2 be a real fight or a money grab?
At first glance, it seems like this star-studded matchup will be a combination of the two. It’s easy to see why this event can be labeled as a money grab, but you can also identify the valid reason why it will be a real fight.
On one hand, you can see this fight as a money grab based on both boxers being of advanced age and in line to be paid a king’s ransom to participate in this event. On the other hand, you can see this bout as a real fight because Mayweather is risking a valuable possession.
Floyd Mayweather’s reputation was based on money and having a zero in the loss column. Once Mayweather decided to call it a career, he took pride in breaking Rocky Marciano’s record and retiring with a mark of (50-0).
Coming back to face Manny Pacquiao means Floyd Mayweather is taking a chance on becoming (50-1). Mayweather takes pride in being undefeated, and on the night of September 19, Mayweather’s 0 will be in jeopardy.
Since retiring in 2017, Floyd Mayweather has participated in eight exhibition bouts. His last true match against a credible boxer took place back in September 2015 when he fought Andre Berto.
After retiring in 2021, Manny Pacquiao made his return to the ring in July 2025. He fell short of winning championship gold as his bout against the then WBC welterweight world champion Mario Barrios was declared a draw.
Many fight fans thought Pacquiao did enough to win the fight. Going into his clash with Mayweather, one would think Pacquiao has an advantage due to his recent experience of competing against an active world champion.
During a recent interview, Manny Pacquiao spoke about his opportunity to take Floyd Mayweather’s prized possession.
“The fans have waited long enough.
They deserve this rematch, and it will be bigger now that it will be streamed live globally on Netflix, Pacquiao stated, “I want Floyd to live with the one loss and remember who gave it to him.”
#Real #Fight #Money #Grab
