MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. will fight inside the squared circle again, but this time in an exhibition match.
Pacquiao hinted to the new event during an in-ring statement as a guest of the Rizin Fighting Federation’s New Year’s Eve event in Saitama, Japan, more than eight years after their highly awaited battle in Las Vegas.
“I’m sorry for the last time that we promised that I was going to fight this year, like Sakakibara-san (Rizin chief executive officer Nobuyuki Sakakibara) explained,” Pacquiao said in a statement.
“[In 2024], I hope to see you in Japan again with a big fight against Floyd Mayweather,” he went on to say.
Mayweather defeated Pacquiao by unanimous decision in the “Fight of the Century” in May 2015, allowing the American pugilist to unify the WBC, WBA, and WBO welterweight titles.
With around 4.6 million subscribers, that fight nearly doubled the previous record of 2.48 million buys set during the Oscar de la Hoya-Mayweather fight in 2007.
Pacquiao and Mayweather have been active in exhibition bouts since retiring from professional boxing in 2021 and 2017, respectively.
Pacquiao, boxing’s only eight-division world champion, last fought in December 2022, defeating South Korean YouTuber DK Yoo by unanimous decision.
In April, he will compete in another exhibition bout against Muay Thai veteran Buakaw Banchamek.
Mayweather, who concluded his career undefeated at 50-0, most recently fought John Gotti III in Sunrise, Florida, on June 11, where referee Kenny Bayless called time.
It resulted in a ring invasion by both sides’ entourages, followed by melees.
