Aurelia Butler

MANNY PACQUIAO is in talks with Floyd Mayweather over a sensational end-of-year rematch.Retirement has been a difficult pill to swallow for the former eight-weight world champion, who has flirted with the prospect of boxing for the Philippines at the 2024 Olympics.
Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao collided in a historic showdown in 2015Credit: AFP
Mayweather dominated the Filipino on his way to earning a decision victoryCredit: AP
Pacquiao has revealed he’s in talks with Money over a shock rematchCredit: AP
But he’s on course for a shock straightener with long-time rival Mayweather in Japanese fight promotion RIZIN next month.
Pacman, 44, revealed “I’m still active, I’m an active guy, I’m actively training. I have an exhibition match this coming December.
“In Japan. We’re working on it, the opponent. We’re working with Mayweather. Yes [a Mayweather fight].”
Mayweather, 46, has competed in multiple exhibition bouts since hanging up his gloves after his 2017 showdown with Conor McGregor.
READ MORE IN BOXING
But Pacquiao claims the American’s legendary 50-0 record could be on the line in their Japanese joust.
“I don’t know, [it could be pro] if he wants,” he said. “We’re still working on it.”
Boxing Hall of Famers Pacquiao and Mayweather faced one another for the unified welterweight titles in the summer of 2015.
But their long overdue “Fight of the Century” failed to live up to expectations, with an injured Pacquiao suffering a decision defeat.
Most read in Boxing
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
Manny Pacquiao fought Floyd Mayweather with an injured shoulderCredit: AP
Despite coming up short on that fateful Las Vegas night, Pacquiao is adamant he’ll get the better of Money second time around.
The pride of the Philippines told Fight Hype: “I don’t think he will do a rematch with me, Floyd. I don’t think so.
“What I thought is [that] he’s scared to death to fight again.
“And that’s my analysis and thought pretty much with him.
“Well, I can beat him easily. I don’t want an exhibition fight with him.
“I want a real fight – a 12-round fight with him.”
Former five-weight world champion Mayweather hasn’t been as receptive to the idea of a rematch with his old rival in recent years.
He said: “We had a chance to do it when it really counted, for all the marbles.
Floyd Mayweather has competed in multiple exhibition bouts since retiringCredit: GETTY
“I was able to go out there and generate crazy numbers.
“We had a chance to do it and you know what the result was.”
Pacquiao called time on his legendary career in September 2021, just a month after he was resoundingly beaten by former WBA welterweight champ Yordenis Ugas.
The emotional southpaw said: “My boxing career is already over.
“It’s done because I’ve been in boxing for a long time and my family says that it is enough.
“I just continued [to box] because I’m passionate about this sport.
Read More on The Sun
He added: “I am a fighter, and I will always be a fighter inside and outside the ring.
“I am accepting your nomination as candidate for president of the Republic of the Philippines.” More

TYSON FURY would get brutally sent into “retirement” if he were to ever fight Anthony Joshua.Or so says AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn after watching the Gypsy King’s scare against Francis Ngannou.
Tyson Fury locked horns with Francis Ngannou in a controversial crossover clash last weekendCredit: AFP
The Gypsy King was dropped in the third round of the Saudi showdown but won via a narrow decisionCredit: GETTY
Eddie Hearn reckons Anthony Joshua would knock the WBC king out coldCredit: RETUERS
Fury was knocked down in the third round of his controversial crossover clash with the former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou last weekend but narrowly eked out a decision victory.
Undefeated Fury looked a shell of the fighter who scored sensational back-to-back stoppage wins over the feared Deontay Wilder.
And, after seeing the WBC heavyweight champ toil in the Riyadh Rumble, AJ’s promoter Hearn is adamant his man would knock him “spark out”.
The Matchroom Boxing chief told iFL TV: “I’m telling you and I say it with a big chest and all my heart and now all my brain, Anthony Joshua beats Tyson Fury every day of the week, he knocks him spark out.
READ MORE IN BOXING
“And you can go around and say he’s frozen out, he’s a dosser, I’m a dosser, whatever.
“We saw on Saturday night, we know the weaknesses, there [points at head] and there [points at chin] aren’t what they used to be.
“Make the fight, AJ against Fury… You have to make the AJ fight, you cannot retire without fighting Anthony Joshua.
“But, he’ll do the job for you because he’ll put you into retirement, I promise you that.”
Most read in Boxing
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
The stats from the fight show Fury landed more punches overall and in the majority of the rounds
Boxing novice Ngannou shocked the world with his virtuoso display against Fury, so much so that Hearn wants to see The Predator face AJ in a clash of African-born titans.
He told talkSPORT: “I can’t believe I’m even saying this, but Francis Ngannou vs Anthony Joshua becomes a huge fight.
“If I’m Francis Ngannou I’m looking at it saying give me the biggest fight possible and that’s two fights, it’s Anthony Joshua or Deontay Wilder.
“They’re the two massive fights for Ngannou, two huge men. But, we’ll see, I can’t even believe we’re talking about this.”
Ngannou, 37, will likely hold out for a rematch with Fury – who is set to throw down with Oleksandr Usyk in an undisputed heavyweight title fight early next year.
AJ, meanwhile, is still on the hunt for a long-overdue grudge match with Wilder. More

TYSON FURY’s long-overdue showdown with Oleksandr Usyk has been delayed yet again, it’s been claimed.The pair’s eagerly-anticipated undisputed heavyweight title fight was all set to take place in Saudi Arabia on December 23 before Fury was embarrassed by boxing novice Francis Ngannou.
Tyson Fury was set to throw down with Oleksandr Usyk on December 23Credit: GETTY
Fans were left stunned in the third round when Ngannou floored FuryCredit: GETTY
The pair’s long-awaited showdown has reportedly been pushed back to FebruaryCredit: REUTERS
Fury eeked out a narrow decision victory over the former UFC star but immediately poured cold water on the prospect of jumping back straight back into camp for the December dust-up.
Team Usyk insisted it was December or bust for the battle of heavyweight supremacy, which Sunsport revealed Saudi boxing chiefs have splashed out £200million for.
But both parties are said to have agreed to a rescheduled February date.
That’s according to EPSN, who claims former pound-for-pound king Usyk will have to wait until “will have to wait two additional months” to finally throw down with The Gypsy King.
READ MORE IN BOXING
Fury’s promoter Frank Warren insisted December 23 was off the cards before the dust had even settled on the Riyadh rumble.
He said: “The fight will happen in late January or February.”
Fury and Usyk’s proposed February showdown will be the first of a two-fight series.
That means, barring any serious injury, boxing fans will see the pair duke it out twice next year.
Most read in Boxing
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
The stats from the fight show Fury landed more punches overall and in the majority of the rounds
Fury, 35, arrived back in the UK on Tuesday with wife Paris following a lucrative but legacy-damaging trip to Saudi.
Before flying back to Heathrow, he said: “They’ll sort it out when they sort it out.
“Until that day, don’t bother me with boxing.
“I’m going home, I’m going to spend some time with my kids.
“I’ve been away for 12 weeks. I’ve got a newborn baby I’ve seen three times.
“He’s six weeks old. I’ve done my job and been paid, happy days.”
Tyson Fury edged a narrow decision win over former UFC champ Francis NgannouCredit: AP More