Mayweather and Pacquiao Run It Back in Las Vegas on Netflix
More than a decade after their historic first clash, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao are set to meet again.
The boxing icons announced Monday that they have agreed to a rematch scheduled for Sept. 19 in Las Vegas. The bout will stream live globally on Netflix and will mark the first professional boxing event held at Sphere, the immersive entertainment venue located just east of the Strip.
Mayweather, who turns 49 on Tuesday, revealed last week that he intends to end his nine year retirement from competitive boxing. Pacquiao, 47, ended his own four year retirement last year and is scheduled to face Ruslan Provodnikov on April 18 in the second bout of his comeback.
Neither fighter has announced the weight class or number of rounds for the September rematch.
The two most prominent boxers of their generation will square off again 11 years after Mayweather defeated Pacquiao by decision in their long awaited 2015 showdown. Although the bout did not match the decade of hype that preceded it, promoters declared it the most profitable fight in boxing history, setting pay per view records and drawing worldwide attention.
“I already fought and beat Manny once,” Mayweather said in a statement. “This time will be the same result.”
Pacquiao later disclosed that he entered the first fight with a shoulder injury, saying he did not want to postpone such a major event. The injury limited his offensive pressure against Mayweather, who relied on his trademark defensive strategy to secure the win.
“The fans have waited long enough they deserve this rematch,” Pacquiao said. “I want Floyd to live with the one loss on his professional record and always remember who gave it to him.”
The original matchup was delayed for years as fans clamored for the fight between the similarly sized superstars. Both camps at times blamed the other for the holdup, though Mayweather consistently maintained that he would fight on his own terms. Some critics have argued he waited until Pacquiao was past his peak before agreeing to the first bout.
Careers Since Their First Meeting
Mayweather retired in 2017 after defeating Conor McGregor and finishing his professional career at 50 and 0. Since then, he has participated in high profile exhibition matches against social media personalities and other non traditional opponents while maintaining a high profile lifestyle outside the ring. He is currently involved in legal disputes with multiple alleged creditors over issues that include unpaid rent on a Manhattan apartment and outstanding jewelry bills.
He has also announced a separate exhibition against 59 year old Mike Tyson later this spring, though no date or location has been finalized.
Pacquiao, meanwhile, pursued politics in his native Philippines, running unsuccessfully for president before losing a Philippine Senate race last May. Two months after that defeat, he returned to boxing and fought WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios to a majority draw in an attempt to become the oldest 147 pound champion in history. Barrios later lost his WBC welterweight title to Ryan Garcia.
Netflix Expands Into Major Fight Nights
The rematch underscores Netflix’s continued push into live sports programming. The platform previously streamed Terence Crawford’s win over Canelo Álvarez and is set to carry heavyweight champion Tyson Fury’s upcoming comeback bout in April.
The Sphere, which opened in 2023, previously hosted a UFC event in 2024. UFC President Dana White said that promotion reportedly spent about 20 million dollars to stage that show, roughly ten times the cost of a standard UFC pay per view event, due to the venue’s advanced technological requirements.
Over a decade removed from their primes, Mayweather and Pacquiao remain two of the most recognizable names in boxing. On Sept. 19, they will attempt to recapture the magic of a rivalry that once defined an era, this time inside one of the most technologically advanced arenas in the world, with a global audience watching on Netflix.
