Boxing Legends Looking To Run It Back?

The fighters now

• Manny Pacquiao (46): Returned to elite competition and fought to a draw vs. Mario Barrios in July, with many observers believing he edged it. He’s announced a late-January Las Vegas return (opponent TBA).

• Floyd Mayweather (48): Officially retired at 50–0 after stopping Conor McGregor in 2017, but has stayed active in exhibitions (e.g., Logan Paul, 2021). Mayweather outpointed Pacquiao in 2015; Pacquiao later revealed he fought with a torn rotator cuff.

Netflix’s boxing push

The streamer (300M+ subscribers) has leaned into tentpole fight nights since 2024:

• Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson (Nov. 2024)

• Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 3 (July)

• Terence Crawford vs. Canelo Álvarez (September)

• Jake Paul vs. Gervonta Davis (Nov. 14, Miami — exhibition with judges)

A Mayweather–Pacquiao II would be the platform’s most nostalgic play yet, pairing two of the sport’s biggest commercial draws with an audience unbound by traditional PPV.

What’s unclear

• Timing: No firm date; Pacquiao could still compete in January before any rematch.

• Format: Professional bout or exhibition? (Netflix has hosted both.)

• Weight/rounds/venue: All TBD.

What to watch

• Business model: Does Netflix keep it as part of subscriptions or add a premium upsell?

• Regulatory path: Commission appetite for a 46 vs. 48 matchup and medical thresholds.

• Competitive stakes: Legacy bout vs. spectacle—how it’s framed will shape fan reception.

Talks are exploratory, but the ingredients are potent—two icons, unresolved “what-ifs,” and a streaming giant hungry for global spectacles. If it lands, Mayweather–Pacquiao II could be the biggest nostalgia event boxing has ever seen.