A whole 11 years after their first bout, dubbed the Fight of the Century, these two legendary fighters trade blows again.
The first fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao felt like it arrived three to five years too late, and this one feels much worse.
This fight is a nostalgia-fuelled cash grab dressed up as a sporting event.
Their 2015 fight was well-hyped, but the showcase failed to live up to its billing.
Mayweather forced Paquiao to miss and picked his moments to seal a win.
He had prepared for that fight with his father, Floyd Mayweather Sr and not the more offensive uncle, Roger Mayweather. A defensive performance was inevitable.
Both men were no longer in their prime by the time that fight came around, and it unsurprisingly didn’t deliver.
A rematch should have happened when the Filipino star announced he fought while injured.
Now we are supposed to be excited about a sequel when Mayweather is 49, and Pacquiao is 47?
Mayweather vs Pacquiao: What have they been up to?
Mayweather hasn’t stepped in the ring for a professional fight since taming Conor McGregor in 2017.
Since then, he has toured the world tuning up influencers and never properly testing his unbeaten record.
He is set to fight Mike Tyson in another pointless exhibition this year.
By contrast, Pacquiao has consistently stepped back in for a taste of the real stuff, putting his political career on hold for his passion.
His most recent fight against Mario Barrios last year, after a four-year hiatus, ended in a draw. It was an improvement on the performance in his 2021 loss to Yordenis Ugas.
He will also compete in an exhibition when he faces Ruslan Provodnikov on April 18 at the Thomas & Mack Centre in Las Vegas.
Mayweather vs Pacquiao is an insult to boxing fans
This showpiece is not elite-level boxing. The fact that it is streaming on Netflix tells you everything you need to know.
The fight is about monetising names that are known outside hardcore boxing circles to boost subscriptions. It is not about belts, rankings or legacy.
Some sanctioning bodies agreed to stamp it as a professional match-up, but these men are long past their physical peaks.
Training camps and sparring at that age must be punishing. The risk is real, but the reward, at least competitively, is nonexistent.
Real boxing fans continue to clamour for exciting, meaningful fights, but promoters are rewinding the clock because it is safer financially.
There’s always room for nostalgia, but that doesn’t validate this fight. The first one was late. This one is pointless. The fans deserve better.
