Real fight or exhibition? Pacquiao confirms Mayweather preference

Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather caused a seismic shock earlier this week when they announced they are participating in a rematch more than a decade on from their first encounter. 

The pair will meet in Las Vegas on September 19 with Pacquaio looking to level the series in one of boxing’s greatest ever rivalries. 

In 2015, Mayweather and Pacquiao battled it out in boxing's biggest ever PPV fight as their long-term feud which featured the best two fighters of their generation was a major global success. 

Mayweather won the fight on points in a bout that failed to live up the expectation, and he would only fight professionally two more times as he added wins against Andre Berto and Conor McGregor. 

Since walking away from professional fights, Mayweather has been active on the exhibition circuit, but his sequel with Pacquiao will be his first pro contest since the McGregor win in 2017.  

Pacquaio’s career went on a lot longer than Mayweather’s as he enjoyed wins against the likes of Tim Bradley and Keith Thurman, before seemingly calling time on his career in 2021 after losing to Yordenis Ugas. 

Last year, Pacquiao returned and he was unfortunate not to become world champion once again when he was held to a draw by Mario Barrios. 

Now he will face Mayweather and although the fight will be an official professional clash, the Filipino icon has revealed that Mayweather wanted an exhibition. 

"It just happened that I'm still active in boxing and then he came out of retirement, so he decided to do it again. This is it. I'm so excited for the fight,” said Pacquiao when speaking on ESPN’s  SportCenter . 

"Before he wanted an exhibition with me, but I disagreed. I didn't want an exhibition. I wanted a real fight like this. So, this is it. This is what I have been waiting for.”

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