It seems Manny Pacquiao’s recently donned jacket was and is a nifty fashion accessory and nothing more; even if Pac-Man knew this to be the case or not. Pacquiao’s jacket had, sewn into the lining, pictures of himself and Floyd Mayweather in fighting pose, and the Tweet Pac-Man wrote accompanying the picture asked “Like my jacket!”
Many people felt the jacket, the Tweet and the short message meant a rematch between the two superstars was on the cards, or at least Manny felt one was on the cards. Of course, it didn’t hurt that Mayweather was a ringside guest at Pacquiao’s November 5 fight with Jessie Vargas. But it seems none of this matters at all, because Manyweather, who calls all the shots, has insisted, again, that he has zero interest in fighting again – against anyone.
“A lot of fighters in the sport of boxing may want to retire, but they have to fight because they have to,” Mayweather said during a break from promoting the January 14 super-middleweight unification fight between his fighter Badou Jack and Britain’s James DeGale. “I don’t have to fight. I just made $300 million for fighting Pacquiao. I’m OK. Like I said before, I’m happy with my position. Once again, the money don’t make me; I make money. I’m well off. I make smart moves. I’m happy with where my career has went.”
Of course, there will still be those people who feel Mayweather is merely playing games and/or trying to negotiate himself an even bigger purse to make a ring return, his recent statement a ploy, and the talk of fight number-50 taking place will inevitably go on. But Mayweather, as he said before (this phrase clearly being one of his favourites!) is enjoying life as a promoter. Smart he claims to be, and would a 40-year-old (as Floyd will be in February) be making a smart move if he tried to come back at such an age, after having had 20 months out of action?
Pacquiao will likely box on, but it seems it will not be against the man who handily outpointed him in May of 2015.