After Manny Pacquiao shone brightly during his comeback fight against American Jessie Vargas to win the WBO welterweight title earlier in the month, talks of Filipino's rematch with Floyd Mayweather has already begun. Trainer Freddie Roach has even intensified the talk, suggesting that the fight could take shape in May 2017.
Mayweather was seen watching Pacquiao's fight with Vargas in Las Vegas, and Roach even believes that the two boxers met in the hotel later. One hopes that the two did speak about the possible rematch.
Pacquiao had to come out of retirement for the Vargas fight to happen. It was not easy for the boxer to manage time with Pacquiao also a senator in the Philippines. Hence he has a political responsibility to look after as well.
If the bout does take place, Mayweather, who also retired from the sport after defeating Pacquiao in their last fight in 2015, has to comeback from retirement, and the Filipino has to find a time slot where he would be able to train and get ready for the fight. So it seems, the best possible time could be somewhere in April-May 2017.
"Mayweather came to the fight, and I heard they met later on in his (Pacquiao's) room. Hopefully, they worked it out that we can fight one more time. Now, if we're going to fight, it looks like Manny has a break in session in April and May. So that means in the month of April I'm heading to the Philippines until he's out of session. So we'll have a fight in May if everything works out correctly," The Philippine Star quoted Roach as saying.
Boxing fans would love to see both the boxers go against one another in top fitness as Pacquiao was not perfectly fit for the Fight of the Century in May 2015. He was suffering from shoulder injury, one learned after the match. Pacquiao looked good in the fight despite the injury, but Mayweather's defensive approach, with calculated risks helped the American maintain his unbeaten record, defeating the Filipino.
With Pacquiao having witnessed Mayweather's solid approach, he will have new plans ready to beat his American opponent, if the bout does take shape.
