Floyd Mayweather has stayed away from talk of a return to professional boxing, opting instead to make money on the exhibition circuit, but that may be about to change.
Mayweather retired in 2017 after a money-spinning crossover bout with Conor McGregor. The win took his record to number 50 of a campaign that started back in 1996.
Over the two decades, Floyd won world title in five weight classes from super featherweight to super welterweight. He defeated the likes of Oscar De La Hoya, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, Zab Judah and Shane Mosley.
His most famous victory came over Manny Pacquiao in 2015, a fight that had been over marinated and saw both men last their primes when they stepped through the ropes. The American won by comfortable unanimous decision.
Pacquiao makes his return to the ring this weekend in an attempt to snatch the WBC Welterweight World Title from champion Mario Barrios. Should he win, at 46, he will become the division’s oldest champion, a record he already set back in 2019.
The Filipino great has hinted that he will fight on if he beats Barrios, and has made no secret that a rematch with Mayweather remains high on his list of targets. Despite Pacquiao recently saying that his rival would be too ‘scared’ to make it happen, Lance Pugmire now reports that ‘Money’ Mayweather will be in attendance this weekend and that ‘conversations are already happening’ behind the scenes.
Went over to @FloydMayweather Boxing Club upon my arrival today in Vegas for @MannyPacquiao fight week, was told to expect Floyd to attend with two fighters on the card. “Conversations are already happening … if Manny wins, this (rematch) could be worth billions,” I was told.
— Lance Pugmire (@pugboxing) July 15, 2025
The fight would of course gather incredible attention, but plenty has to happen before it becomes a reality. Pacquiao must defeat a world champion 16 years his junior, and Mayweather needs to confirm interest. If the title is his goal, he would have to gain special ranking with the WBC – though given recent developments that is unlikely to be an issue.