Real fight or money grab?

In 2010, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao were the top 2 boxers in the world. A Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight was in high demand, but it didn’t happen because Manny Pacquiao refused to agree to random Olympic-style blood and urine testing.

Five years later, Pacquiao had a change of heart when he agreed to the test. The Mayweather vs Pacquiao mega-fight, billed as the “Fight of the Century”, took place on May 2, 2015.

Fans were excited to see Mayweather and Pacquiao share the ring, but they were disappointed in the product on display. In an overwhelming contest, Mayweather won by unanimous decision.

Mayweather would continue to fight for two more years and then retire in 2017. Manny Pacquiao would fight for six more years, then retire after losing to Yordenis Ugas in 2021.

Fast forward to the year 2026, and the rumor mill has been buzzing about a potential Mayweather vs. Pacquiao 2 match. It seems that the rumor is a reality, and now the question is, will Mayweather vs. Pacquiao 2 be a real fight or a money grab?

At first glance, it looks like this star-studded match will be a combination of the two. It’s easy to see why this event could be labeled a cash grab, but you can also identify the valid reason why it will be a real fight.

On one hand, you can see this fight as a money grab based on both boxers being of advanced age and in line to be paid a king’s ransom to compete in this event. On the other hand, you can see this fight as a real fight because Mayweather is risking a valuable possession.

Floyd Mayweather’s reputation was built on money and a zero in the loss column. After Mayweather decided to call it a career, he was proud to break Rocky Marciano’s record and retire with a mark of (50-0).

Returning Manny Pacquiao means Floyd Mayweather has a shot at becoming (50-1). Mayweather prides himself on being undefeated, and on the night of September 19, Mayweather’s 0 will be in jeopardy.

Since retiring in 2017, Floyd Mayweather has competed in eight exhibition bouts. His last real fight against a credible boxer came in September 2015 when he fought Andre Berto.

After retiring in 2021, Manny Pacquiao made his return to the ring in July 2025. He failed to win championship gold as his match against then WBC welterweight world champion Mario Barrios was declared a draw.

Many fight fans thought Pacquiao did enough to win the fight. Going into his clash with Mayweather, one would think Pacquiao would have an advantage due to his recent experience competing against an active world champion.

During a recent interview, Manny Pacquiao talked about his opportunity to take Floyd Mayweather’s prized possession.

“The fans have waited long enough.

They deserve this rematch, and it will be even bigger now that it will be streamed live on Netflix worldwide, Pacquiao said: “I want Floyd to live with the one loss and remember who gave it to him.”