Reports are circulating that former pound-for-pound supremo Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s shock rematch with long-time rival Manny Pacquiao will be finalised as early as this week.
Following an Instagram video surfacing on Saturday, that appeared to show Mayweather taunt the Filipino ring-legend over a potential comeback bout, the match-up has seemingly gathered considerable pace in the last few days and a date for early December in Las Vegas could be announced in the coming days.
The two men, who ruled at the top of most boxing observers ‘pound-for-pound’ lists for more than a decade, met in May 2015 in an eagerly-anticipated ‘Fight of the Century’.
However, after years of hype and intrigue, the fight itself would fail to live up to lofty expectations, with Mayweather booking a routine twelve round unanimous decision victory in Nevada in an uneventful bout that drew ire from critics and fans alike.
Although many perceived the recent rumours as little more than attention-seeking on the part of the 41-year-old, confirmation from Pacquiao in a recent interview with reporters in his native Philippines have put the whole of boxing on red alert:
“We will finalise the fight this week, either Mayweather or somebody else, where and when, what date.” said Pacquiao.
With of December 1st and December 8th mooted by ‘Ring Magazine’, the proposed match-up would surely throw into doubt expected plans for the WBC World heavyweight title showdown between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury – which had been thought to be in play for the same time and also in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao, who now holds the lightly-regarded WBA ‘Regular’ World welterweight title following a seventh round TKO of Lucas Matthysse in Kuala Lumpur in July, has long-since called for a rematch with his former adversary.
It would appear that an opportunity to avenge his loss is closer than ever…