Asked about Mayweather’s recent comments suggesting the September 19 bout could be treated as an exhibition, Pacquiao pointed back to the agreement already in place and dismissed the idea outright.
“No exhibition,” Pacquiao said to Fighthype. “It’s either a real fight or nothing. It’s a real fight.”
Pacquiao said the terms were already established when both sides signed, leaving no room to adjust the structure of the event at this stage. The fight is scheduled for Las Vegas and has been built around a sanctioned contest rather than a non-competitive exhibition format.
“The contract we signed is a real fight,” Pacquiao said. “So it’s for sure.”
He added that he expects the rematch to proceed under those original terms, despite the uncertainty created by Mayweather’s recent remarks. Pacquiao did not offer any alternative options if the situation changes, keeping his focus on the agreement already in place.
“I don’t know,” Pacquiao said when asked about possible backup plans. “What I signed is a real fight.”
Pacquiao has long pursued a second fight with Mayweather following their 2015 meeting, and indicated that his approach this time will be different.
“I have improved and better strategy compared to the last one,” he said.
This looks like a classic case of a fighter wanting to protect his perfect 50-0 record. Floyd is nearly 50 years old, and despite his legendary defensive skills, a professional fight carries the risk of a “1” finally appearing on his resume, especially against someone as relentless as Pacquiao.
By calling it an exhibition now, Floyd essentially creates a safety net where he can get paid without the stakes. Manny’s team (MP Promotions) are adamant that the contract signed in February is for a sanctioned professional bout.
Just a few days ago (March 28), Floyd publicly backtracked during a meet-and-greet, claiming it’s an exhibition and that the venue (The Sphere) isn’t even 100% locked in.
Netflix has already marketed this as a professional event. If it shifts to an exhibition, they lose a massive amount of the “historical significance” they’re using to sell the stream.
