Who knows what to make of this. Floyd Mayweather said on Instagram Saturday that he will come back from retirement this year for a rematch of the insanely boring 2015 “mega-fight” with Manny Pacquiao.
The matchup of these two all-time greats was already way overripe back in 2015, when the two mostly avoided each other for 12 of the most disappointing rounds in boxing history. This one will certainly not be better, and will have even less meaning. Mayweather’s last professional fight was the farcical bout with Conor McGregor. Pacquiao knocked the 35-year-old tatters of Lucas Matthysse into retirement in June, giving Pacquiao a WBA belt and the flimsiest possible pretext for luring Mayweather out of retirement. Mayweather is now 41, and greatly diminished. Pacquiao is 39 and completely washed up. He landed just 81 total punches in their first fight, later blaming his complete no-show on an injured shoulder. The fight delivered bad takes and worse takes and a conspiracy theory—not to mention a fucking ton of money for its participants—but not one single moment of compelling sports.
ESPN says Mayweather is aiming for December for this rematch, which only the most addled Mayweather sycophant or Pacquiao stan could possibly want. Boxing can and must do better than this shit.