Manny Pacquiao has made his stance clear amid uncertainty surrounding his planned rematch with Floyd Mayweather, insisting he will not accept an exhibition bout.
The fight, announced in February, is scheduled for September 19 at The Sphere in Las Vegas and was initially agreed as a professional contest. Their first meeting in 2015 ended in a unanimous decision win for Mayweather and became the highest-grossing fight in boxing history.
Tensions have emerged after Mayweather suggested the rematch would be an exhibition, prompting a direct response from Pacquiao. The Filipino star revealed he had previously rejected a similar proposal and remains firm in his position.
“I want a real fight. He signed a real fight, I signed a real fight… so there’s no reason to make excuses,” Pacquiao said.
The situation is uncertain as Mayweather is reportedly facing claims of being in breach of contract due to his comments. Clarity is now expected in the coming period as both sides look to resolve whether the fight will proceed under its original terms.
For Pacquiao, the message is clear: the rematch will only happen as an official contest, not an exhibition.
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