Even though the proposed Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao actual rematch fight is in limbo, a report says that if Mayweather's exhibition with Mike Tyson happens later this year, that Pacquiao is in talks to fight an exhibition on the card.
Floyd Mayweather's contractual commitment to face former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in a long-discussed exhibition is reportedly driving plans for an early Fall doubleheader that would also feature an exhibition bout involving fellow hall of famer Manny Pacquiao.
That's according to officials familiar with the discussions in a report from BoxingScene on Monday.
The proposed exhibition card would serve as a lead-in to a professional "actual fight" rematch between Mayweather and Pacquiao in late January, with January 29 now identified by sources to Boxingscene, as the new target date. The bout is expected to take place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and be streamed globally on Netflix, according to one official involved in the negotiations.
Mayweather and Pacquiao had agreed to fight in September, but that has been on hold due to legal proceedings against Mayweather by promoter CSI Sports and Events.
Mayweather, who retired with a perfect 50-0 record, recently canceled his scheduled June 27 exhibition against Greek kickboxing star Mike Zambidis after event promoter CSI filed a federal civil lawsuit in New York. The company alleged it advanced Mayweather $4.65 million in connection with the proposed Tyson exhibition, claiming he failed to fulfill his contractual obligations by fighting him first.
And, they also want to recoup over $4.5 million advanced to Mayweather for the Tyson and Pacquiao bouts.
Ultimately, the Zambidis fight was postponed by the legal threats that included threatening broadcaster DAZN and Ticketmaster for being associated with helping promote and show the exhibition.
Eventually, Mayweather and his attorneys got the NY Federal judge to agree with them that he was allowed to proceed with the Zambidis exhibition. It's believed that exhibition will proceed in August.
Back to Pacquiao, he last fought in a world title fight against WBC welterweight champ Mario Barrios in July 2025. Pacquiao fought well and many believed he had won a 12 round decision, but the bout was ruled a draw on the official cards.
The now 47 year old Pacquiao was recently inducted International Boxing Hall of Fame and there has been some debate about whether he will fight on with the all the legal drama around Mayweather.
Mayweather won their first bout in May 2021 in the most lucrative fight in the history of the sport generating a record 4.6 million pay-per-view buys. The event also set a boxing record with a staggering live gate of $72 million for Las Vegas, which is likely never to be topped.
Now, whether the Mayweather-Tyson exhibition ever happens to set any of this into motion, remains to be seen.
