Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao: Projecting the Next Fight for Both Fighters

Floyd Mayweather produced a defensive masterclass as he beat Manny Pacquiao by unanimous decision in their big showdown in Las Vegas on Saturday.

The American was awarded the fight 118-110, 116-112 and 116-112 by the three judges, and he added the WBO welterweight strap to the WBC and WBA titles already in his possession.

Here is the scorecard from the fight, courtesy of ESPN's David Kull:

For more reaction check out this video with Adam Lefkoe and Corey Erdman.

Read on for a look at whom their next opponents might be.

Will There Be a Rematch?

The biggest question relating to whom the pair might face next is, of course: Will there be a rematch? After the fight, Mayweather stated he has one fight remaining in his career, per Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated:

It's possible that fight could be a rematch with the Filipino. Pacquiao fought well enough to believe he had won the fight prior to the judges' decision, per BBC Sport:

Further, it emerged after the bout that Pacquiao had fought with an injured right shoulder, per Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports. Pacquiao was denied an anti-inflammatory shot prior to the fight, as his representatives had failed to check the injury box on the paperwork after the weigh-in on Friday.

The Nevada Athletic Commission explained its denial of the request, per BBC Sports Editor Dan Roan:

According to Tim Dahlberg of The Associated Press, promoter Bob Arum said: "The ruling made tonight affected the outcome of the fight."

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With the possibility of Pacquiao feeling aggrieved at the result of the fight and that his injury affected his performance, his camp would likely welcome a rematch.

As noted by Greg Beacham of The Associated Press, Mayweather's father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., was less than enthusiastic about the prospect of a second bout.

Even so, given the publicity and money involved in this fight, a rematch will never be completely off the table.

What Next for Floyd Mayweather?

If not a rematch with the Pac-Man, who will be Mayweather's next—and last, it seems—opponent? When asked who could be left for him to fight, the 38-year-old simply said "Khan," per Jeff Powell of the Daily Mail.

Amir Khan would whet the appetite as far as Mayweather's next opponent goes, but a fight in September is highly unlikely, due to Khan's observance of Ramadan.

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Gennady Golovkin would certainly be the people's choice. The undefeated Kazakh sensation has won 29 of his 32 fights by knockout, and as the Liverpool Echo's Greg O'Keefe notes, he has undeniable technical prowess.

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However, with Mayweather desperate to end his career on a high, Golovkin would likely prove too big a threat for Money to risk his unblemished record.

A more likely opponent would be Keith Thurman, who challenged Mayweather to a post-Pacquiao fight in March. The unbeaten 26-year-old has won 21 of his 26 fights by knockout but is unlikely to prove much of a threat to Mayweather's record.

Ultimately, it seems as though Mayweather is keeping his options open for the time being. As the International Business Times' Anthony Riccobono notes, Mayweather has been known to take his time in choosing opponents.

With his next fight likely to be his last, he'll be even more careful in choosing his final opponent.

Prediction: Keith Thurman

What Next for Manny Pacquiao?

Pacquiao has not restricted himself to a September bout—and may need to take time off to recover from his shoulder injury—so Khan could be a more realistic prospect for the Filipino to face, but for now his next opponent is only speculation.

A fifth showdown with longtime rival Juan Manuel Marquez could be just the ticket to reassuring Pac-Man's devastated fans, but the Mexican has long maintained that their rivalry is at an end.

Another possible opponent is the up-and-coming Terence Crawford.

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Bud was awarded Fighter of the Year in 2014 after a series of impressive wins against Ricky Burns, Yuriorkis Gamboa and Ray Beltran.

Per Bleacher Report's own Kevin McRae, the clash could be held in a 60,000-seater outdoor stadium in Manila, with proceeds hopefully going to charity.

The prospect of a home fight against a fighter predicted to be boxing's next superstar could prove a highly tempting prospect for the 36-year-old Pacquiao.

Despite the loss to Mayweather, Pacquiao will be remembered as a phenomenal and ferocious fighter, but with his career also in its twilight years, he will need to choose his final opponent just as carefully as the American.

Prediction: Terence Crawford