A number big-name fighters, and other stories, have dominated the boxing landscape over the last 24 hours — from Oleksandr Usyk talking about a back-up plan for the Rico Verhoeven fight, to the drama between a Brazilian debutant and the British Boxing Board of Control, to the latest in the prospective rematch between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. Boxing Social has you covered.
Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao Rematch Latest News
What year is this?
The will-they, won’t-they season is back, as Floyd Mayweather’s comments on a proposed Manny Pacquiao fight caused nothing but confusion. For everybody.
It all started, really, when Netflix sent statements to Boxing Social and other media to confirm a rematch between the veteran fighters to take place in September at The Sphere in Las Vegas. The wording of the press release was quite clear. It would be a fully-sanctioned fight, which meant Mayweather’s unbeaten record would be on the line.
There would only be one problem, though. Mayweather, this week, said the match-up might not necessarily take place at the state-of-the-art venue, nor will it be a pro fight. It would be, he said, an exhibition — a type of contest that specifically contradicts the Netflix statement.
MP Promotions exec Jas Mathur was swift to react, commenting that that contracts are binding.
Then, Fight Hype — a Mayweather-adjacent channel — dropped a bombshell on X.
Whether the latest is an early April Fool’s gag remains to be seen but one thing is clear: the promotion is entering clown-show territory from the mixed messaging, at the very least.
Oleksandr Usyk Floats Back-up Site in Rico Verhoeven Fight
From one crossover fight to another, we learned from Oleksandr Usyk that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has caused his team to consider back-up plans should it be inappropriate to host a combat sport spectacle at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt next month, in May. The bout against kickboxing icon Rico Verhoeven could proceed, albeit at an alternative site. Regardless, it’s one thing Team Usyk seems to be monitoring.
Olympic Debutant Proceeds With Fight Despite Sanctioning Controversy
Boxing Social reporter Matt Brown, meanwhile, broke down the story involving a Brazilian bronze medalist from the Olympic Games, a protracted pro debut, and a British sanctioning body who, the fighter’s team claim, didn’t sanction his fight because he’s not British.
Other headlines:
Francisco ‘Chihuas’ Rodriguez Jr. Slapped With 2-Year Doping Ban; WBC Orders Final Eliminator
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