Floyd Mayweather Wants Manny Pacquiao on His Undercard, Bob Arum Talks Rematch
Floyd Mayweather Jr. believes Manny Pacquiao "needs to go back to the drawing board" and suggested it would be profitable for both fighters if the Filipino appears on the undercard of his future headline event.
Mayweather defeated Pacquiao via unanimous-decision win on May 2. He dominated the bout from start to finish and rarely appeared likely to be caught by Pacquiao's hardest shots.
In a video for FightHype.com (h/t GMA News), Mayweather suggests both fighters could benefit from appearing on the same card in two individual battles:
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JST of GMA News transcribed Mayweather's comments:
"I look forward to, actually, since September's my last fight, I look forward to Pacquiao fighting on the undercard.
[...] We could fight on pay-per-view on a doubleheader. I think we both can make some good money. He can fight somebody solid, I can fight somebody solid.
[...] Together, we do have some good numbers.
"
Bob Arum, CEO of the Top Rank promotions team that looks after Pacquiao, suggested the Filipino is open to stepping into the ring with Floyd again. Arum complained about the difficulties of working with Mayweather's camp during the buildup to the last fight, per The Washington Post (h/t Chris Williams of BoxingNews24.com), but he suggested everyone is better experienced to make a second encounter happen.
Arum spoke to ESPN (h/t Alex Richards of the Mirror):
"I think we now know what the pitfalls were. And, ultimately, with all the aggravation and trouble, look at the pot of gold that we both produced. I think there will probably be less aggravation in a rematch. We understand each other better now. There's a real possibility it could work even better.
"
At this point, it seems Floyd will hold the power to decide exactly who he wants to fight. Pacquiao was forced to have shoulder surgery in the aftermath of the recent fight, as reported by BBC Sport, and it's uncertain as to whether he would be able to recover in time for September.
The 36-year-old lacked fluidity against Mayweather and failed to unleash the flurry of shots that have seen him overcome so many fighters over the years. Floyd's victory was so one-sided that, potential earnings aside, there's nothing left to be settled between the two.
Considering a card with both men on it could excite many fans. Mayweather could face Amir Khan, as reported by Gareth A. Davies of The Telegraph, while talk of Pacquiao's next encounter is yet to look beyond a rematch with Pretty Boy. Perhaps he would be tempted to avenge his knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez.
Right now, it's interesting to see Mayweather suggesting alternatives to a rematch. He doesn't need to beat Pacquiao again to cement his legacy. There's no guarantee Pacquiao will be even fitter second time round—especially considering his injury—so it may be best for both if they work together on a joint promotion.
As harsh as it sounds, this is most likely the only way we'll see Pacquiao's hand raised on the same card as Mayweather.
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