Top Rank tycoon and Manny Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum claims we'll 'more likely than not' see an in-no-way-anticipated rematch between the Filipino icon and long-time rival Floyd Mayweather.
Despite the relative anti-climax that was the supposed Fight Of This Century, the pair have remained inextricably linked, even with both fighters now officially retired following Pacquiao's supposed swan-song versus Tim Bradley last Saturday.
But as HBO's Max Kellerman shrewdly pointed out when asked if this would really be the end for Pac-Man, big fighters don't tend to fully walk away until people stop paying them big money.
As for Mayweather - well, he's not quite Sugar Ray Leonard (in a number of ways), but where retirement is concerned he's certainly guilty of crying wolf on more than one occasion. After all, his moniker is 'Money'.
Speaking to TMZ Sports, Arum said of the potential rematch:
It's close to 50/50 but probably leaning more toward the fight happening ... More likely than not.
Even slowed to about 75% of what he was in his 2009 pomp, Pacquiao looked sharp in outpointing a world class and stylistically difficult opponent in Bradley; the reality of the situation is that a Manny running on half a tank still outclasses the rest of the playing field bar Floyd.
But Pac-Man, now recuperated from shoulder surgery, will claim he has cause for a rematch, and Mayweather may well fancy lining his pockets one last time against a fighter who - for all his truly remarkable talent - still can't lay a glove on him.
If the match was available, I believe [Manny] would come back for that match.
If either man agrees to fight, my feeling is that they won't be able to resist,
says Arum.
He's not wrong, old Bob. But would the fans be able to resist? Realistically, you'd have to say probably not. A rematch would be a difficult sell, promotionally speaking, but when all is said and done you're still talking about two of the most supremely gifted fighters of their generation, and a clean 2.5-3 million pay-per-view buys.
H/T: TMZ
