JAKARTA - The fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, which is planned to be held as a professional fight, has become increasingly chaotic following the statement issued by Mayweather recently.
The two fighters are scheduled to clash at The Sphere, Las Vegas, United States, on September 19, 2026. So far the agenda has not changed, but Mayweather's claim that the fight was an exhibition has put this duel plan in jeopardy.
"We don't know the location of the fight. The Sphere is one of the places being talked about. So, we don't know if it will be 100 percent held there and this is actually not a fight, but an exhibition," said Mayweather as quoted by Channel News Asia (CNA).
Pacquiao previously insisted that he would not duel if their rematch was only held as an exhibition. So, he immediately expressed his objection after hearing the statement issued by his rival.
The world champion in eight divisions admitted that he immediately contacted his team to confirm Mayweather's statement.
"What we agreed on was a real fight, not an exhibition. I don't know where he got this idea or what was in his mind, but this fight is a real fight and not an exhibition at all," said Pacquiao.
He further emphasized that the documents that had been agreed upon clearly mentioned their fight as a professional match and not just entertainment.
"What we signed is a real fight, not an exhibition. I don't know where he got the idea, but this is a real fight and it's definitely not an exhibition," he said.
Manny Pacquiao Promotions CEO Jas Mathur said Mayweather's statement regarding the status of the exhibition was a violation of the contract. However, he ensured that communication between the two camps was still ongoing.
"We are 100 percent sure that the final outcome of this situation will be positive. We are making progress. Floyd must fulfill his obligations. I think he also wants this fight to happen," said Mathur.
Mayweather and Pacquiao first fought in 2015 after years of preparation. The fight earned more than 4.5 million pay-per-view buys and Mayweather won by a unanimous decision.
Even though the two are now retired - Pacquiao (48) and Mayweather (47) - their clash has the potential to make history as the first professional boxers to fight in The Sphere arena.
Pacquiao is known to have returned from retirement since last year by undergoing a WBC welterweight title duel against Mario Barrios which ended in a draw.
Meanwhile, Mayweather has not appeared in a competitive fight since defeating Conor McGregor in 2017. The American fighter retired with a perfect 50-0 win-loss record.
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