Floyd Mayweather says he will fight Manny Pacquiao again

Image Courtesy: Reuters

Former heavyweight champion Floyd Mayweather said on Saturday he was coming out of retirement for a 2018 rematch with Manny Pacquiao.

"I’m coming back to fight Manny Pacquiao this year," Mayweather, 41, said on his Instagram account. "Another 9 figure payday on the way."

An accompanying video showed the two fighters at a music festival in Tokyo but it was difficult to hear what they were saying. 

In a later video obtained by ESPN, Mayweather says, "Tokyo Japan here we go... I`m coming back in December." 

He added, "I`m going to take it (the belt) from him like I did before. We gonna get the payday and I don`t want no shoulder excuses."

A rematch had been speculated for years after the two met in a ballyhooed 2015 fight.
Undefeated Mayweather scored a unanimous decision that earned him an estimated $220 million. Pacquiao later said he was hampered by a right shoulder injury.

Mayweather was back in the ring in 2017, winning by a technical knockout over mixed martial arts world champion Conor McGregor to run his boxing record to 50-0. 

He earned a reported $300 million and McGregor $100 million in one of the richest fights in history.

Pacquiao (60-7-2) last fought in July, knocking out Argentine Lucas Matthysse.

Afterwards, when asked about a rematch with Mayweather, the Filipino boxer said: "I have the belt, so it`s up to him. If he wants to come back in boxing let`s do a second one."