Boxing legends Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao are ‘seriously exploring’ the possibility of stepping back into the ring together in 2026, with Netflix being eyed as the platform for this blockbuster rematch.
Sources have revealed to The Ring that serious discussions are taking place about staging the bout more than a decade after their first encounter.
The potential fight would mark another major boxing event for the streaming giant, which has been making waves in the sport recently.
Mike Coppinger from Ring Magazine has reported that reliable sources confirm the talks are genuine, and that there is a “real possibility this is going to happen.”
Boxing legends Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao are ‘seriously exploring’ the possibility of stepping back into the ring together in 2026, with Netflix being eyed as the platform for this blockbuster rematch
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While shocking, the news has not impressed boxing fans, who have taken to social media to voice their frustration about the potential rematch.
“It was six years late, 11 years ago,” one user wrote on X, while another simply stated: “This s*** starting to feel like a joke.”
Floyd Mayweather won the 2015 contest by unanimous decision
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“I’m sick of old men fighting,” another fan complained, with TV broadcaster Jason Hagholm dubbing it the “Senior Citizens Tour.”
Despite the criticism, most fans are admitting they’ll tune in anyway. As one user put it: “These old a** mfs lol. I will watch it, though.”
Their original meeting in May 2015 was billed as the “Fight of the Century” and took place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Mayweather emerged victorious with a unanimous decision, with judges scoring it 118-110, 116-112, and 116-112 in his favour.
The bout shattered financial records, becoming the highest-grossing fight in history. It attracted 4.6 million pay-per-view purchases – the most ever recorded – and generated a gate of $72.2million (£54.1million). Total revenue approached $600million (£450million) for the event.
Despite this, many believed the fight happened too late, with Pacquiao aged 36 and Mayweather 38 at the time.
‼️ Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao are in talks for a potential rematch in 2026, The Ring’s @MikeCoppinger has learned.
The fight is being explored as another Netflix boxing event. pic.twitter.com/iFArx2HHNH
— InsideRingShow (@InsideRingShow) October 27, 2025
Critics suggested at the time that Mayweather had deliberately waited until his rival was past his peak before agreeing to the bout.
Pacquiao made his comeback to professional boxing in July, facing Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title.
The bout ended in a majority draw, though many observers felt the 46-year-old Filipino had done enough to win.
The eight-division champion is said to have looked impressive in his return after a four-year absence from the sport.
He’s already announced plans to fight again in late January in Las Vegas, though it’s not clear whether he’d still take that bout if the Mayweather rematch materialises.
Since retiring in 2017 with an unblemished 50-0 record, Mayweather has competed only in exhibition matches, including against Logan Paul.
