Philippine boxing icon Manny Pacquiao has clarified that his anticipated September clash with Floyd Mayweather will be a genuine professional contest, not an exhibition bout. This comes after Mayweather suggested their upcoming fight would be purely for entertainment purposes.
Netflix announced last month that the pair would step into the ring again for a rematch at the Sphere in Las Vegas on September 19. This event follows their highly lucrative 2015 encounter, which remains the highest-grossing boxing match in history, attracting 4.6 million pay-per-view purchases.
However, Mayweather recently indicated in an interview that the rematch would be a showcase event. "It's an exhibition, so we're both winners," Mayweather stated, adding, "We just want to go out there and entertain the people and put on a good show."
Pacquiao has now refuted these claims, asserting that the bout is officially sanctioned. "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," Pacquiao said in a statement provided to Agence France-Presse.
He further elaborated on his motivations, stating, "I wish to clear up any misinformation regarding my upcoming bout against Floyd Mayweather. From the beginning, my intention has been to give the fans what they truly want to see. A high-level, competitive sanctioned fight."
Pacquiao's team indicated that Netflix's February announcement accurately reflected the agreed terms. They expect the "original terms of the agreement to be honoured."
Adding to the discussion, Jas Mathur, CEO of Manny Pacquiao Promotions, informed ESPN on Wednesday that Mayweather's comments constituted a breach of their contract. Mathur asserted that the fight would proceed as planned, directly contradicting Mayweather's stance on the nature of the contest.
Comments (0)
You must be logged in to comment.
Be the first to comment on this article!