Manny Pacquiao open to Floyd Mayweather rematch — Only if he comes out of retirement

Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao made his highly anticipated professional comeback on Sunday, July 20 (Philippine Standard Time), when he fought Mario Barrios for the World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight title before a capacity crowd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The fight between Pacquiao and Barrios ended in a controversial majority draw after 12 rounds, with two judges scoring the bout 114–114, while the third judge had it 115–113 in favor of Barrios. As a result, Barrios retained his WBC welterweight title and improved his record to 29-2-2 with 18 knockouts. Pacquiao’s career record now stands at 62-8-3.

Pacquiao’s comeback has sparked talk of a potential rematch against American legend Floyd Mayweather Jr., which would take place 10 years after their “Battle of the Century” at the same venue in 2015.

The 46-year-old has consistently stated that he is open to a rematch with Mayweather—if his opponent agrees and under the right terms and conditions. The Filipino boxing icon reiterated during the post-fight press conference at MGM Grand that he will accept the fight if his 48-year-old rival also comes out of retirement.

“It’s hard to talk about a fighter who has retired already. If he comes out of retirement, then go sign the contract and we will fight. Let’s fight again, if he wants. I have no problem with that. I’m active now and don’t pick my opponent—I fight them all in my weight division,” Pacquiao said.

Manny Pacquiao is open to a rematch with Floyd Mayweather after coming out of retirement.

Is this a fight you’d still be interested in seeing in 2025❓ pic.twitter.com/QQ8XJDthDT

— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) July 23, 2025

It should be noted that the highly anticipated fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather broke revenue records for Pay-Per-View buys in the United States alone, generating $410 million and making it the highest-grossing PPV in history.

Mayweather Jr. came out on top in that contest, winning via unanimous decision—116-112, 116-112, and 118-110—to prove he was without a doubt the best boxer of his generation.

The American icon, for his part, appears extremely content in retirement and currently participates in exhibition matches, making it unlikely that he will return for a single competitive bout.

There has been no response from Mayweather’s camp regarding Pacquiao’s comments, and it remains to be seen whether such a fight will take place, though the financial incentives may be too great to ignore.

OKBET is Asia’s most trusted and popular online sports gaming platform. Visit us on OKBET to stay up to date with all sports news from around the world.