By Chris Williams: Manny Pacquiao and his promoter Bob Arum and trainer Freddie Roach had better get the most of Saturday’s fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. because it’s the last time they’ll be getting a chance to face him. Mayweather said today that there won’t be a rematch against Pacquiao in September.
It’s one and done as far as Pacquiao goes. Mayweather plans on finishing his boxing career in September with one final fight against an opponent still to be determined, and then walk off into the sunset sporting a 49-0 record.
“Floyd said there won’t be a rematch in Sept. Mayweather-Pacquiao #boxing,” Dan Rafael said on his twitter. “Floyd reiterates he plans to fight final bout of Showtime deal in Sept and then retire.”
That’s got to be crushing news for Arum, Pacquiao and Roach because all three of them likely would love to get a piece of the action in a second fight against Pacquiao. The money that they could make in a second fight against Mayweather would obviously help feather their nests in their retirement years. But you can’t say money hasn’t been saved from this fight with there not being a worldwide press tour, an HBO 24/7, Showtime All Access, and with boxing fans being charged $10 just to see a simple weigh-in.
What would be worse for Pacquiao and company is if he gets beaten badly by Mayweather, he wouldn’t have a chance to redeem himself. It would be like how it was when Pacquiao was stopped by Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012. There was no rematch for Pacquiao, and he and Roach, as well as his many boxing fans, have been left with the loss that they’ll never be able to avenge.
You can’t blame Mayweather for not wanting to bother fighting Pacquiao a second time in September. With the headaches that he’s had to deal with during the negotiations with Pacquiao and Arum, it’s probably something that Mayweather never wants to have to experience again. There’s also all the trash talking that Roach has been doing for the past couple of months. I don’t think that’s something that Mayweather wants to have to deal with again either. Roach has been really been spouting off like a loose cannon, talking all kinds of nonsense. It seems like it is gotten worse as the weeks have progressed to the point where Mayweather is probably sick of hearing Roach talk.
Instead of getting a second payday fight against Mayweather, Pacquiao will have to face whoever Arum digs up for him. I heard recently that Brandon Rios might get another shot against Pacquiao if he wins his next fight. That could be another pay-per-view fight that brings in underwhelming numbers in terms of buys. Pacquiao-Rios brought in just 450,000 PPV buys in 2013. My guess is a second fight between them will likely edge downwards into the 300,000 region rather than increasing.
Whoever Mayweather faces in September will be hitting the lottery jackpot because of the big money that they’ll be receiving. Amir Khan, Keith Thurman, Kell Brook and Danny Garcia are four guys that come to mind when I think of possible opponents for Mayweather to fight in September.
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