Dana White Claims That He Had Pitched A Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao Rematch Years Ago

The fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao was a fight for the history books. It drew the highest Pay-Per-Vie with over 4.4 million buys and $400 million in PPV revenue.

As years went by, fans have debated whether the fight took place a little too late in Manny’s career and whether Floyd actually won, but that’s all white noise now. After all, the fight took place and Floyd came out victorious (118–110, 116–112, 116–112).

Recently, UFC President Dana White addressed the fight by saying that he was actively working on making a rematch between the two and that he’s convinced that even though a decade has passed since their first fight, the fight can happen and “it makes sense.”

People Were Betting On The Rematch

The original fight didn't quite meet the expectations of fans. Many were complaining that Floyd was simply too defensive and on his back foot the whole time. He played the long and safe game, and that's what got him the W.

Pacquiao also revealed that he was battling a shoulder injury at the time, which is why he couldn’t perform as well as he hoped. As such, people started demanding a second fight. Many fans even started placing bets on when the fight is going to take place and who is more likely to win.

Everyone was so divided because neither fighter was quite in their prime, but they still had the dog in them. Floyd was undefeated, and Manny was the only fighter at the time who could snatch his 0. The bets started pouring in from every corner of the planet.

It’s unsurprising that Dana was keen on reigniting the speculation with his statement, considering the hype that surrounded the fight. Even for the biggest cards, the volume and interest around the UFC odds in Ireland from NetBet Sport from punters pales in comparison to the interest spectators showed for the first Mayweather Pacquiao bout.

Since Conor McGregor’s assumed retirement, the interest in the sport in Ireland has been waning. The sport has historically had a passionate Irish fanbase, so there may be concerns within the UFC that global interest is dropping as a result. As such, it makes sense that Dana would be searching for the next big money fight he can sell globally in the absence of any true superstars in the UFC who could transcend the sport at the moment.

While the betting markets might not necessarily dictate his decisions, they’re a clear indicator of public interest, and it’s undoubtable that the spectators from the world over would tune in for Mayweather Pacquiao 2.

How Could Dana White Secure the Rematch?

The big question here is how Dana White could secure the rematch, and why would he do it? The why is simple. He has shown interest in boxing on several occasions. He even decided to do a cross-organisation fight with McGregor and Mayweather. Interestingly enough, this fight became the second-biggest PPV draw in the history of boxing.

As to how, we just received the answer a while ago. After the fight between McGregor and Mayweather, White stated that he wants to enter the world of professional boxing under a brand called Zuffa Boxing.

For several years, he didn’t share any specific information about the boxing brand or potential fights. Then, at the start of 2025, he stated that he’s officially in and that Zuffa Boxing will be inaugurated in the same year.

That happened as the first official event under Zuffa was none other than Crawford vs. Canelo. According to White, the main goal of Zuffa is to have the same promotional material as the UFC. To make things even better, Zuffa signed a contract with Paramount Skydance in September 2025.

With this agreement, all fights under the organisation were to be broadcast to Paramount+ streaming platforms.

Can Mayweather vs. Pacquiao 2 Still Take Place?

The future regarding the rematch between two of boxing’s finest is still in question. There's no denying the fact that Dana White is open to making the rematch in Zuffa. After all, Pacquiao recently came out of a four-year retirement as he fought Mario Barrios. The fight ended in a draw, but Dana was quick to comment on Manny’s form, saying that he looked as good as ever.

As for Mayweather, although he has shared some interest in the fight, he’s not that likely to return. After all, his final fight was against McGregor in 2017. He has embarked on a few exhibitions, but hasn’t had a serious fight.

The only thing that could bring him is the paycheck. His nickname is "Money" for a reason, and he likes it when the stakes are high. Mayweather snatched between $220 and $230 million when he fought Pacquiao. Then, he made $100 million against McGregor. Reports state that if the money is upwards of $300 million, he may very well agree to fight Pacquiao in a rematch.

Years may have passed, but there's no denying the fact that the interest in this potential bout is still high, and both fighters can put on a show for the fans.