Aged Pro Super-Fight in Doubt

Floyd Mayweather has cast doubt over his professional rematch with Manny Pacquiao, questioning the ‘pro’ status of the super-fight and leaving fans and promoters uncertain about its timing.

While the bout was previously framed as a fully sanctioned September clash at Sphere in Las Vegas, recent statements from Mayweather introduce uncertainty.

Jas Mathur Speaks to WBN

World Boxing News spoke to Jas Mathur, CEO of Manny Pacquiao Promotions and executive producer of the event, who outlined why this rematch became possible at this moment.

“No Brainer,” Mathur told WBN. “Having worked with both fighters and currently working with Manny as CEO of Manny Pacquiao Promotions, I was really in a unique position to help ensure that this fight was the perfect situation for each of them.”

He stressed the level of coordination required behind the scenes: “You need full buy-in from both sides — fighters, teams, advisors, and business partners alike. Months of late-night calls, early mornings, and constant back-and-forth are required before anything goes public — and that’s before Netflix secures broadcast rights or Floyd’s retirement is factored in.”

“It’s a special honor for this to be the first boxing match at The Sphere, but the venue is not easy to book.”

Mayweather has since completely contradicted Mathur’s last line of that quote to WBN.

The Infrastructure Made the Fight Possible

In a separate WBN exclusive, Mathur explained how the event evolved from speculation to a structured reality. He cited alignment across production, streaming, promotional teams, and both fighters’ camps as the key factor.

“EverWonder Studio, Hidden Empire Film Group, Limitless X Holdings, key members of both Floyd and Manny’s teams, and the leadership at Netflix all worked in lockstep to make this happen,”

Mathur said. “This was never about any one individual — it was a collective effort. We came together with a shared vision to create something truly historic.”

Mayweather Introduces Doubt

Despite Mathur’s assurances, Mayweather told reporters in Las Vegas that the fight is not technically a professional bout yet and that the venue is still unconfirmed.

He told reporters, including Vegas Today: “And this is not actually a fight, it’s an exhibition. It’s an exhibition, so we’re both winners. I mean, we just want to go out there and entertain the people and put on a good show.”

“As of right now, we don’t know exactly where the fight is going to be at. The Sphere is one of the places that they talked about but it’s not yet confirmed.”

The comments contradict the previous framing of a fully sanctioned professional rematch on September 19, introducing new uncertainty for fans who expected an official bout.

Mayweather would also preserve his 50-0 record, significantly reducing the demand to see a spectacle where a legend could drop to 50-1 after a nine-year gap.

While the event is positioned as historic and globally streamed via Netflix, Mayweather’s remarks now leave the status of the super-fight in question.

Looking Ahead

With Mathur emphasizing coordination and infrastructure as the factors that finally made the rematch possible, and Mayweather publicly introducing doubt, fans and industry insiders are left in suspense.

Whether the rematch goes ahead as a sanctioned professional fight or evolves into an entertainment-focused exhibition remains uncertain.

Updates on venue confirmation and official sanctioning are expected in the coming weeks.

About the Author

Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a veteran boxing reporter with 15+ years of experience. He has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside since 2010. Read full bio.