Well, there was no mid-ring announcement of a Floyd Mayweather/Manny Pacquiao II last night in Las Vegas, as some people felt there would be. In fact there was no announcement at all. A victorious Manny Pacquiao – who rolled back the years in style in dominating Adrien Broner over 12 engrossing rounds – called out Mayweather, who was ringside, saying he will fight him again “if he is ready to come back to boxing,” but there was no apparent interest from Floyd.
Many fans feel this sequel will indeed happen, as money talks and money is Floyd’s favourite subject, but the soon to be 42 year old was being extremely vague about any interest he may have in fighting Pacquiao a second time. Mayweather wouldn’t even nod or shake his head in response to whether or not he wants the fight. It was left to Mayweather’s right-hand man, Leonard Ellerbe to do the talking. And what Ellerbe said appears to have poured cold water on any chance of a May/Pac II.
“He’s retired, he has no interest in doing that,” Ellerbe said of Mayweather at the post-fight presser. “It’s not always about the money, believe it or not. What more can the man do? He doesn’t have the motivation, the desire. He’s living the best life, travelling, running his multiple businesses, spending his hard-earned earnings that he spent blood and tears on for years. He’ll be 42 in February and enough is enough.”
Seems final, and fair enough. We fight fans will be perfectly fine if there is no Mayweather/Pacquiao II, it’s not as though we are crying out for it. Fight-One was duller than dull and, despite Manny’s claims that, with a healthy shoulder, he would be able to beat Mayweather, chances are big a return would be equally lacking in action. Pacquiao looked good to great last night and he can certainly beat a number of top names/champions based on his most recent performance, so maybe it’s time for Pac Man to move on.
The current welterweight division is certainly not lacking plenty of names and great talent, and Pacquiao against the likes of Keith Thurman, the winner of the Errol Spence-Mikey Garcia fight or one or two other big fights would prove more exciting to fight fans than a recycling of the so-called “Fight Of The Century.”
Or maybe Manny will fulfil another of his dreams and box his farewell fight in his homeland and then retire on top.
