The Manila Times

MAYWEATHER SAYS PACQUIAO REMATCH ON CARDS THIS YEAR

- AFP WITH REPORT FROM JOSEF T. RAMOS

LAS VEGAS: Former world welterweig­ht champion Floyd Mayweather said Saturday ( Sunday in Manila) he would face Manny Pacquiao later this year in a rematch of their 2015 superfight.

In a posting on Instagram, Mayweather Pacquiao, three years after scoring a comfortabl­e points victory over the veteran Filipino.

“I’m coming back to fight Manny Pacquiao this year another 9 figure payday on the way,” Mayweather wrote on Instagram. No further details were given.

A video accompanyi­ng the post showed Mayweather and Pacquiao talking to each other at an event but their exact exchange of words could not be heard clearly.

Mayweather earned an estimated $ 220 million from his first fight with Pacquiao, which finally took place after years of on- off negotiatio­ns.

Pacquiao earned around $100 million from the contest.

Mayweather retired later in 2015 after his 49th victory but returned to the ring last year for a lucrative victory over mixed

The 41- year- old’s announceme­nt on Saturday comes as Las Vegas prepared

-

While Mayweather’s remarks on Saturday are the latest in a long line of mischievou­s social media postings hinting at a comeback. Speculatio­n about a rematch with Pacquiao has rumbled for years.

Pacquiao, who claimed to have been hampered by an injured shoulder in his

enthusiast­ically about a rematch.

“Mayweather? If he decides to go back to boxing then that is the time we are going to call the shots,” he said in July.

“I have the belt, so it’s up to him. If he wants to come back in boxing let’s do a second one.”

Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 knockouts) made a return to the ring in July after a one-year absence, defeating Argentina’s Lucas Matthysse in the seventh round in Kuala Lumpur.

Old men

Meanwhile, Top Rank Promotion head Bob Arum said he doesn’t want to be a part of the possible December rematch between Pacquiao and Mayweather, saying it is up to

“I don’t know, you know if they want to

If they don’t, they won’t,” Arum told The

ManilaTime­s on Sunday via overseas call. Pacquiao is 39 while Mayweather is 41. “Everybody has a choice. I would not get involved,” added Arum, who also said the legal threat from Pacquiao’s camp against Top Rank last Monday all stemmed out of a misunderst­anding.

“It’s a misunderst­anding and everything is fine now,” Arum assured.

In another video shot by internatio­nal

Music Festival, which he posted on Twitter on Saturday, Mayweather is seen shouting at Pacquiao, “I’m coming back in December. No more shoulder excuses, let’s set it up.”

“I’m going to get that (World Boxing Associatio­n) belt and I’m going to get that payday. It’s going to be easy work,” added Mayweather, who scored a unanimous decision

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 ?? AFP PHOTO ?? Floyd Mayweather Jr. (left) defends against Manny Pacquiao during their welterweig­ht unificatio­n bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
AFP PHOTO Floyd Mayweather Jr. (left) defends against Manny Pacquiao during their welterweig­ht unificatio­n bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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