Sergio Mora says he doesn’t “like” the idea of the 40-plus-year-old Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao returning to the ring for a rematch on Netflix at their ages, following their dull fight from 10 years ago in 2015.
Mayweather-Pacquiao are in negotiations for a rematch in early 2026 on Netflix in what Pacquiao says will be a “real fight” that will count on their records.
Mora Doesn’t Like the Rematch Idea
The commentator Mora argues that the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight won’t provide entertainment value to the fans that watch it because of the combination of their advanced ages and the painfully boring fight from a decade ago on May 2, 2015.
Mayweather fought a classic safety-first fight, winning a 12-round unanimous decision by the scores 116-112, 116-112, and 118-110. The then 36-year-old Pacquiao looked like a shadow of the fighter he’d been eight years earlier.
There was no chemistry between them. Pacquiao had the wrong style to cause the pot-shotting Mayweather issues back then.
2015 Fight Still Leaves a Bad Taste
“I don’t like it. You’ve got two all-time greats, and 10 years ago, they left a sour taste in people’s mouths,” said commentator Sergio Mora to DAZN Boxing, expressing his distaste for the potential Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao rematch in 2026.
Netflix Banking on Nostalgia, Not Action
Netflix would be bringing back the old relics, Pacquiao and Mayweather, not because they would provide an entertaining fight, far from it. The reason they will place this fight on their platform is that it’ll bring in a massive number of subscribers and generate revenue for the company. As far as excitement and action, it’s more like a prelim-level fight.
“It was successful. To this day, it was the highest-grossing pay-per-view sales. 4.4 million, one of the highest gates in boxing. Floyd Mayweather became uber-rich after that. So, yes, it was a success for both men, but the fight stunk. The fight was forgettable,” said Mora.
The number of worldwide viewers for the Mayweather-Pacquiao 2 rematch will likely be high. It’s questionable whether it can match the 108 million global viewers that the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight brought in on November 15, 2024, on Netflix. It’ll still do well.
“We don’t bring it up when it comes to all-time great fights. We’re talking about Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., yet we never bring up that fight at all, zero, because it was that bad,” Mora said.
The Mayweather-Pacquiao fight failed to live up to expectations. The Filipino star aggravated a right shoulder injury that he’d come into the battle with, and was limited to fighting with just his left. Mayweather threw single potshots, held frequently, and moved around. It was a typical performance for Floyd.
Fans Felt Cheated the First Time
For casual fans unfamiliar with his style, they were angry and felt cheated. The high $100 PPV price tag for the event, along with a skeletal undercard filled with prospects and mismatches, made things worse.
Ten Years Later, Expectations Are Lower
“So, why does Netflix think, why does any promoter think that 10 years later, this fight is going to be any better? It’s going to be just as bad or even worse because they’re old,” said Sergio about Pacquiao and Mayweather Jr.