Manny Pacquiao rematch with Floyd Mayweather set for Sept. 19 at Sphere amid money and legacy drama
The biggest development: Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather will meet in a professional rematch on Saturday, 19 September at Sphere in Las Vegas, with the event to be shown on a global streaming platform. The announcement ends long-running speculation and matters because it pairs a renewed comeback performance with fresh financial and legal tensions that could shape promotion and public interest.
Manny Pacquiao's comeback and the Barrios fight that reignited rematch talk
Coverage of Pacquiao’s return highlights a dramatic 2025 build-up: Pacquiao, then 46, was linked to a WBC welterweight title fight against Mario Barrios and delivered what has been described as a performance for the ages. Barrios, 30 at the time, rallied late and the bout was scored a split, controversial draw. Insiders involved in staging the Barrios fight believed a strong showing from Pacquiao would re-open big possibilities for the Hall of Famer, and Pacquiao pushed for a rematch with Mayweather during interviews in July ahead of his Las Vegas comeback.
Fight details confirmed: date, venue and broadcast
The rematch is scheduled for Saturday, 19 September at Sphere in Las Vegas and will be presented on a global streaming platform. It will mark the first professional boxing match to be staged at Sphere. It is not yet known over how many rounds the rematch will be contested or at what weight class; those specifics remain unclear in the provided context.
Manny Pacquiao’s stakes: legacy, titles and recent résumé
Pacquiao, now 47, framed the rematch as a chance to settle history. He invoked the pair’s 2015 meeting—when Mayweather won by a wide unanimous decision—and said the fans deserve a rematch so the loss remains part of Mayweather’s record. Pacquiao’s career achievements appear in coverage: he has won 12 world titles across eight weight classes and holds 62 wins from 73 bouts. Social posts surrounding the announcement emphasized that Pacquiao is on a mission heading into the rematch.
Mayweather returns amid legal battles and a contested public image
Mayweather has announced a return to professional boxing for a fourth time. One item in coverage lists his age as 49; another describes him as 48 who will turn 49 on Tuesday, reflecting differing references in recent accounts. Mayweather has not tasted defeat across his professional record previously—quoted material emphasizes a 50-0 ledger with 27 knockouts in coverage—and he has beaten a who’s who that includes Oscar De La Hoya, Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, Diego Corrales, Arturo Gatti and Conor McGregor. He defeated Pacquiao in 2015 by a lopsided decision, and in announcing the rematch he said the prior result will repeat this time.
Financial backdrop: lawsuit, denials and heavyweight exhibition plans
Complicating the return is a legal case: Mayweather has sued his now-defunct broadcast partner and its ex-president Stephen Espinoza, alleging that they, with help from Mayweather’s former adviser Al Haymon, concealed and diverted revenue and that their actions amounted to breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and unjust enrichment. The suit seeks $340 million in damages. Stephen Espinoza has publicly denied the accusations, defending his career-long focus on fighters getting paid and stressing a reputation for integrity. Separately, coverage notes Mayweather has continued exhibition activity since 2017 and is scheduled to face Mike Tyson this year; that Tyson event is referenced alongside Tyson’s own recent return, which ended a 19-year retirement in November in a controversial defeat by Jake Paul. Mayweather also stated ambitions about generating massive gates and broadcast audiences for his events.
Unresolved elements and what to watch next
- Rounds and weight class for the rematch remain unspecified.
- Promotional and financial fallout from the lawsuit could affect arrangements; details may evolve.
- How fighters’ recent activity—Pacquiao’s comeback performance and Mayweather’s exhibitions—translates into in-ring form is a central storyline.
These items together frame a rematch that mixes sporting stakes and legacy with a complex financial and legal backdrop. Details flagged as unresolved in coverage may change as promoters and the fighters finalize terms and logistical particulars ahead of the Sept. 19 event.
