Following his convincing unanimous points victory over Adrien Broner in Las Vegas on Saturday, 40-year-old Philippine boxing legend Manny Pacquiao has publicly challenged Floyd Mayweather Jr. to come out of retirement for a highly anticipated rematch.
Mayweather, 41, who was in attendance at the fight, retired professionally in 2017 with a perfect 50-0 record. Pacquiao directly called on the five-weight world champion to “Get back to the ring and we will fight again if he wants,” asserting his position by adding, “If he wants to come out of retirement, then announce it and challenge me. I’m a champion and I don’t pick any opponent.”
Pacquiao has previously stated he “cannot retire with peace of mind” without avenging his loss to Mayweather in the controversial 2015 “Fight of the Century,” a bout that broke all-time boxing records but was criticized for its slow pace, with Pacquiao later revealing a shoulder injury.
Mayweather has since engaged in lucrative exhibition bouts, most recently beating Tenshin Nasukawa on New Year’s Eve for a reported $9 million.
