Manny Pacquiao has firmly stated his September showdown with Floyd Mayweather will be a professional fight, not an exhibition. "The contract we signed is for a real fight," Pacquiao told local media, pushing back against Mayweather’s recent suggestion the bout is non-competitive.
Mayweather, 49, and Pacquiao, 47, announced last month they would meet at Las Vegas’s Sphere, streaming globally on Netflix. But Mayweather later told Vegas Sports Today the event’s status and venue remain undecided.
Jas Mathur, CEO of Manny Pacquiao Promotions and event producer, confirmed all contracts were signed and no party raised concerns about the bout’s professional status for three months. "His team had all the contracts. He signed all the contracts."
The two legends last met in 2015 in a record-shattering bout that drew 4.6 million pay-per-view buys and a $72 million live gate.
Reuters has requested comment from Mayweather’s team.