Mayweather vs. Pacquiao Rematch: Key Reasons Why 2nd Fight Shouldn't Happen

After months of seemingly nonstop hype, the Fight of the Century came and went with Floyd Mayweather Jr. beating Manny Pacquiao via unanimous decision. 

Pacquiao was left to lick his wounds with the three judges ruling in Mayweather's favour, 118-110, 116-112 and 116-112.

The inevitable question now is, Will there be a rematch between the two boxing greats?

An arguably more important question is, Should there be a rematch? Here are the key reasons why a sequel shouldn't happen.

The Fight Failed to Match the Hype

After so much anticipation and buildup to the Las Vegas showdown, the fight itself was, in truth, something of a letdown. 

Pacquiao, who threw far fewer punches than usual, wilted in the face of Mayweather's defensive masterclass.

Money's defensive superiority has won him 48 out of 48 fights in his career but has failed to secure the fanfare his undoubted ability would normally attract.

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As he blocked and dodged his way to victory, fans were left underwhelmed by the fight, and plenty of boos were reserved for the American.

A number of boxing greats such as Oscar De La Hoya, Mike Tyson and Barry McGuigan were not happy with what they saw:

"

Sorry boxing fans.

— Oscar De La Hoya (@OscarDeLaHoya) May 3, 2015"

At 38, Mayweather is not going to dramatically change his phenomenally effective defensive style, so a potential rematch would likely play out in similar fashion, with the American content to tie Pacquiao up for long periods.

Mayweather's father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., believes this to be the case:

Mayweather Has Nothing to Prove

Had the fight gone the other way, Mayweather would surely have been determined to settle the score in a rematch.

However, having won so decisively, he will feel he has proved all he needed to against the other great fighter of his generation, ending the years of speculation over who would emerge victorious.

Motivation for a rematch with Pacquiao now would come more from the huge purse the fight would attract rather than a burning desire to beat his Filipino rival once again.

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Indeed, a second fight may even go more in the American's favour. Money, who famously encountered difficulties in his first bout with Marcos Maidana, proved far more comfortable in their rematch, having had time to work him out.

Though Pacquiao is a trickier proposition, Mayweather still came through unscathed. With even more time, the expert tactician would likely enjoy an easier ride should they meet in the ring again.

The purse aside, Mayweather simply doesn't need to face him again.

Age

It's no secret that at 36 and 38, respectively, Pacquiao and Mayweather are several years past their prime.

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Their big clash was five years too late as it was, so adding more time would see the quality of a rematch drop still further from an already underwhelming position.

Pacquiao appeared to tire down the stretch and also lacked the killer instinct and punching power that once saw him terrorise rivals. It was all too easy for Mayweather, and there was little to suggest a rematch would go differently.

As both boxers reach the close of their careers, their legacy becomes increasingly more important. A rematch between two aging, past-their-prime stars would likely do more harm than good.