Boxing is heating up in 2026, and adding fuel to the fire is the long-awaited rematch between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, who are set to clash once again on September 19 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, more than 11 years after their historic first meeting in May 2015. The blockbuster event will stream live on Netflix and marks Mayweather’s first professional bout since facing Conor McGregor in 2017.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao has remained far more active, competing eight additional times as a professional. Although the Filipino legend announced his retirement in 2021, he returned to the ring last July to face WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios. Now, in 2026, history is set to repeat itself as two of boxing’s biggest icons collide once more. Amid the growing frenzy, McGregor has stepped forward with a sweeping prediction for the highly anticipated showdown.
Conor McGregor Backs Floyd Mayweather To Comfortably Beat Manny Pacquiao Again
While Floyd Mayweather improved to 50–0 after his last professional bout against Conor McGregor in 2017, he has remained active through a series of exhibition contests against the likes of Logan Paul, Tenshin Nasukawa, and Mikuru Asakura.
Despite that, the former UFC double champion is confident the American will comfortably outmaneuver Manny Pacquiao and replicate his success from 2015. Taking to Instagram, McGregor wrote, “Floyd beats him easy. See ya soon, bro.”
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This comment also alluded to the Irishman’s long-standing interest in securing a rematch of his own with Mayweather. Meanwhile, McGregor appears unconvinced that the additional rounds Pacquiao has logged since their first meeting will provide the Filipino icon with any meaningful edge.
Their 2015 clash saw Mayweather earn a clear unanimous decision on all three judges’ scorecards. The first encounter between the two boxing legends generated 4.7 million pay-per-view buys, cementing its status as one of the most significant sporting events of its era.
Although the bout fell short of sky-high expectations after being billed as the ‘Fight of the Century,’ the spectacle and global attention surrounding it more than delivered. Now, with Mayweather at 49 and Pacquiao at 47, fans may not anticipate an all-out war, but the scale of the event remains massive.
The addition of Netflix’s reported 325 million global subscribers alongside Las Vegas’ cutting-edge Sphere, which demonstrated its potential as a blockbuster fight venue during UFC 306, only heightens the sense of occasion.
Meanwhile, Mayweather is also slated for another high-profile appearance against Mike Tyson. The undefeated legend revealed last September that he plans to face the 59-year-old former heavyweight champion in an exhibition bout scheduled for this spring.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.