Manny Pacquiao has dismissed claims that his upcoming September bout with Floyd Mayweather will be an exhibition, insisting the rematch is a sanctioned professional fight.
Netflix announced in February that the two boxing icons, now both in their late forties, would meet again on September 19 at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The fight is billed as a rematch of their 2015 clash, which remains the highest-grossing bout in boxing history, generating 4.6 million pay-per-view buys.
However, Mayweather surprised fans earlier this week when he described the contest as “an exhibition” meant only to entertain. “It’s an exhibition, so we’re both winners. We just want to go out there and entertain the people and put on a good show,” he told Vegas Sports Today.
Pacquiao quickly countered, releasing a statement to AFP clarifying the terms of the agreement. “I want to be very clear that the contract we signed is for a professional boxing match. This is not an exhibition; it is a real fight,” he said. He added that his intention from the start was to deliver a competitive, high-level contest for fans.
Pacquiao stressed that Netflix’s announcement reflected the original terms of the deal and that his team expects those terms to be honored. He emphasized that the fight is designed to be a legitimate contest, not a showcase.
On Wednesday, Jas Mathur, CEO of Manny Pacquiao Promotions, reinforced Pacquiao’s position in an interview with ESPN. He accused Mayweather of breaching the contract by suggesting otherwise. “Floyd Mayweather is officially in breach of his contract,” Mathur said, insisting the fight would go ahead as planned.
The conflicting statements have created uncertainty around the highly anticipated rematch. While Mayweather portrays the event as entertainment, Pacquiao and his camp insist it will be a sanctioned professional bout. The disagreement has sparked debate among fans and analysts, raising questions about how the fight will ultimately be presented.
For now, Pacquiao remains firm that the September showdown will not be a repeat of their 2015 spectacle in name only, but a genuine contest with competitive stakes.
