In the boxing world, most are still eager to see if a Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao rematch will happen. The camp of Mayweather did say that it is not going to take place although money could change that claim.
After breaking revenue record when they first met back in 2015, the consensus is that a rematch is unlikely to at least match the pay-per-view numbers in the U.S. alone pegged at $410 million. The reason behind this is most berated the way the fight went with Mayweather strategically dancing away to frustrate a charging Pacquiao.
Speaking of money on the table, everyone knows how the landscape changes when Mayweather sees the figures. Already 41, it looks like the undefeated American boxer is satisfied facing less heralded boxers for as long as he gets an enormous paycheck.
Mayweather last fought on New Year's Eve, dismantling kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa. He claims to have earned a cool $9 million from that scheduled three-round bout, easy money with lesser risk of getting hurt. And now, it seems the American boxer will be doing it again this July.
According to a report from TMZ Sports, Mayweather is set to face another former Japanese boxer with the identity withheld for now. It will be another three-round fight and Floyd Jr. says that he will earn $10 million once the fight is over.
Further, it looks like it will not be the last for Floyd Mayweather Jr. for 2019. He reportedly has four to five fights more for 2019, clearly indicating that a rematch with Pacquiao is not in the cards. And the prime reason is that he is getting a big paycheck and fighting only for three rounds.
"It's all about being smart. My faculties are very important."
Mayweather has been known to be a businessman and he will perform if the price is right. Combining risk and the revenue of getting into the ring, he does seem to be in a fine place right now.
So unless he can be offered something more than roughly $3.3 million per round, it is likely that he is done facing actual boxers for 10 to 12 rounds. Doing the match, only an astonishing $34 to $35 million may woo him back into competitive fighting.
Right now, only Pacquiao looms as the best opponent to get near those numbers. But the bad news is that many boxing fans still remember that forgettable first installment which Mayweather won via unanimous decision at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
