Share

Mayweather open to Pacquiao rematch

Las Vegas - Floyd Mayweather added another wrinkle to the fallout of his fight against Manny Pacquiao by saying he would be open to a rematch after the Filipino southpaw recovers from shoulder surgery, according to an ESPN report on Tuesday.

Mayweather has one fight remaining on his Showtime contract and has repeatedly said he intends to retire after a bout fight in September, although after Saturday's fight he told reporters that he is "human" and occasionally contradicts himself.

"I will fight him in a year after his surgery," Mayweather, who earned a unanimous decision over Pacquiao, told Smith in a text on Tuesday, according to ESPN.

His reported comments added to the complicated aftermath of the so-called "Fight of the Century," with possible lawsuits in the works and Pacquiao likely to face disciplinary action for failing to disclose a pre-bout shoulder injury.

Barely one hour after the contest ended, Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum, said the 36-year-old southpaw had been hampered by a previous injury to his right shoulder.

On Monday, an MRI scan in Los Angeles confirmed the boxer has a torn rotator cuff that will require surgery.

Apparently neither Pacquiao nor his team informed the Nevada Athletic Commission about the shoulder issue until a couple of hours before the start of the fight when they asked for an anti-inflammatory injection.

At that point, it was too late for the commission to investigate whether Pacquiao was suffering a genuine injury and there were no MRIs or medical paperwork to support the claim made by the boxer's team, the commission said.

When Team Pacquiao filled in its pre-fight medical questionnaire on Friday, a query about any shoulder injury was clearly marked "No" before the form was signed by Pacquiao and his advisor.

The fact that Pacquiao did not disclose his injury until the night of the fight could also lead to possible lawsuits from boxing fans who may feel cheated after paying record sums for tickets in the MGM Grand Garden Arena or pay-for-view (PPV).

Some of the ringside spots in the 16 800-seat arena demanded up to $350 000 on resale site StubHub while a record $300 million or more is expected in PPV revenue from at least three million customers who paid $100 to watch.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2249 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE