Las Vegas - Floyd Mayweather accepted an invite to watch Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao's WBO title fight on Saturday, leaving many wondering if a request to step back in the ring would be next.
Mayweather had a front row seat at the Thomas & Mack Centre
to watch Pacquiao easily beat former champion Jessie Vargas with a unanimous
decision victory.
Pacquiao said on Sunday that he is eager to avenge his 2015
loss to Mayweather and he doesn't feel the contract negotiations would be
nearly as acrimonious as they were for the first fight, which became the
richest in boxing history.
"Not only for myself, but the fans of boxing want the rematch then why not?" Pacquiao told a group of reporters at his luxury suite at the Wynn hotel and casino. "We can easily talk about that it is not a problem.
"Because we now have direct contact to them it would be
easier to talk about when there will be a rematch."
Pacquiao looked impressive Saturday and even showed his
power with a second-round knockdown as he reclaimed the WBO welterweight title
- the same belt he lost to Mayweather.
Pacquiao made sure the retired Mayweather was there to
witness him win it back on Saturday night. Pacquiao said he found out on Friday
that Mayweather would be attending the fight.
"I met with his manager I told him I would invite Floyd
and they said OK," Pacquiao said.
There are no talks scheduled between the two and Pacquiao
has no idea whether he can entice Mayweather to come out of retirement in 2017.
"We don't have any discussions as for now," said
Pacquiao who will fly back to the Philippines so he can be there when the
Senate reopens on Tuesday. "It is not in my mind right now for the next
fight.
"I want to go back to the Philippines and work at my
next job," the first-year Senator said.
Even when he has something to say, Pacquiao will never put
all his cards on the table.
Saturday he fought like a boxer who didn't want to spoil a
good thing as his comeback from a brief retirement could have easily been
derailed by a carelessly getting caught by a punch from the bigger and heavier
Vargas.
But Mayweather's appearance at ringside Saturday has stirred talk of a Pacquiao-Mayweather 2.
Mayweather did not speak to reporters after Saturday's fight
and has shown no signs of wanting to come out of retirement.
Pacquiao's last two victories have been impressive, showing
that he has recovered from the shoulder injury which hampered him in his fight
against Mayweather in May 2015.
"I believe if there is a rematch, or if it happens, I want
to make sure the fans will love it and I will give everything to get back their
trust," said Pacquiao.
Asked why he didn't call off the Mayweather fight because of
his shoulder injury, Pacquiao said he didn't think before the fight that the
shoulder would be a problem.
"I have no regrets because I felt good one week before
the fight. In that kind of fight I hurt my shoulder," he said.
Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum said Saturday he doesn't know
if he can entice Mayweather to fight again.
"Floyd Mayweather is retired. As far as we're concerned
he's retired and we respect that," Arum said.
But Vargas spoke for many when he expressed an interest in
seeing Pacquiao and Mayweather go at it again.
"Of course," Vargas said. "I wouldn't mind
seeing it again. We are still very interested in seeing what could happen
again."
As with previous Pacquiao fights, the Vargas match was
watched by millions in the Philippines and broadcast on large screens in public
plazas and malls.
Pacquiao said on Sunday that he exchanged texts with
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.
"I messaged him thanking him for his support. In
Philippines we don't call people we message a lot," Pacquiao said.
Pacquiao needed nine stitches on the top of his head because
of a cut from a head butt in the final round against Vargas.
"When I threw an uppercut he threw a right hand and we banged our heads."