There’s a certain mythology that follows Manny Pacquiao—one built not just on titles, but on improbable ascent. Emerging from boxing’s lower-weight divisions to a place atop eight separate weight classes—a feat no fighter in history has matched—Pacquiao’s story reads like folklore etched in sweat and sacrifice. A global icon, yes, but Pacquiao is also something rarer: a figure whose legacy stretches beyond the ropes. Renowned for his tenure as a Philippine senator and his humanitarian work, the 47-year-old, who recently founded Manny Pacquiao Promotions, is shaping the next generation of fighters and entrepreneurs alike.
Even after stepping away from the ring and retiring after his 2021 loss to Yordenis Ugás in a bout for the WBA (Super) Welterweight title, Pacquiao has continued to defy expectations. His 2025 return against Mario Barrios—a significantly younger champion—ended in a draw that many observers argued tilted in Pacquiao’s favor, a testament to his competitiveness at the highest level. It’s the kind of performance that reinforces what his résumé already screams: wins over legends, wars across eras, and a style that never aged so much as it evolved.Now, Pacquiao is once again chasing something unfinished. His long-anticipated rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr.—the defining rival of his era—looms as both spectacle and reckoning. Their first meeting in 2015, a tactical Mayweather victory in one of the most lucrative bouts in boxing history, has lingered as a stubborn footnote in Pacquiao’s otherwise untouchable résumé. It’s a loss he has never quite let go.“I’m so excited for that,” Pacquiao says of the rematch currently scheduled to broadcast on September 19 on Netflix. “We both signed the agreement. We both signed the contract, and we both received an advance for that fight. So there’s no reason that this fight will not happen, by God’s grace,” Pacquiao says, his tone equal parts faith and certainty. The pugilist gets even more pointed during other moments in the conversation, taunting Mayweather Jr. while alluding to the boxer’s alleged financial struggles amid mounting debt. “He has no way out of that agreement, or else he will pay bunches of millions of dollars.”The urgency is echoed by Manny Pacquiao Promotions CEO Jas Mathur, a producer of the event and a former member of Mayweather’s camp, who frames the bout as inevitable. “ He needs to step in the ring now, and he needs to come and fight. He had the dedication to sign all the contracts and get that money, right?” Mathur scoffs. “It’s a real fight, and it’s contracted for a real fight. That’s why he’s got to step in the ring. He can’t go further in the negative than he already is.”
According to Mathur, Pacquiao is fully capable of defeating Mayweather Jr.; however, he acknowledges Floyd’s status as a boxing icon. He also states that the rematch could potentially surpass the revenue and viewership generated from their first fight.“Opportunities are there, and he’s going in for the kill shot,” Mathur says of Pacquiao’s measured, yet aggressive game plan. “The idea is simple, right? These guys are legends, right? Say whatever you want about Floyd, he’s a legend at the end of the day. So, I mean, put them both together, they do it one more time, it’s going to break all records. They did it once, they’ll do it again. That’s it. You’ve just got to get him in the ring now. No matter what it takes. Just pull him in the ring.”For Pacquiao, this isn’t nostalgia—it’s unfinished business. And if history has taught anything, it’s that writing him off has never ended well.
VIBE spoke with Manny Pacquiao and Jas Mathur about Pacquiao’s rematch against Floyd Mayweather Jr., their dispute over Mayweather Jr.’s claims of being “The Best Ever,” Top Rank allegedly blocking him from fighting Terence “Bud” Crawford, and past opponents that he respects the most.
VIBE: What moments or hardships most shaped your decision to pursue boxing, and how did they define the fighter you became?
Manny Pacquiao: The reason why I pursue my boxing career is just for our situation and our hardships in life.
That’s the only way, and I love it. Boxing became my passion. That’s why I’m still here pursuing my passion as a boxer and inspiring boxing fans.
Can you walk us through the evolution of your training philosophy?
Manny Pacquiao: When we talk about training, I’m not only training; I’m studying how I train. I’m studying which routine to add to our training. It’s not [always] the same way I train. I prepare for a fight [thinking] how can I improve, how can I add? What techniques, what routine can I add to the training? That’s also my focus when I’m in training.
What inspired the creation of Manny Pacquiao Promotions?
Manny Pacquiao: I established Manny Pacquiao Promotions because I want to help the next generation of young kids who are going to follow in my footsteps. We can help them develop and give those young kids a chance.
Do you have any prospects that are looking good right now that you’re pushing?
Manny Pacquiao: I know there are a lot of young boxers right now who are inspired to become world champions. So, we should promote them, give them a chance, and lead them on the right path.
You recently launched your performance and training facility. What inspired that project?
Manny Pacquiao: I’m inspired to see a lot of young athletes who want to become world champions. To show their talents and skills in the world, but don’t have a chance. Nobody gives to them or helps them. His Pacquiao Prime Boxing Gym will help them. We’re the partner of Limitless, and we can maximize it.
Jas Mathur: We’re actually going to open in about a month and a half or so officially, but it’s going to be for athletes. It’s a conditioning center. We invite all the athletes, influencers, celebrities, and the like to go there.
A lot of different opportunities. But yeah, we have an official performance training center. Dead in the center of Hollywood, too.
How do you see the sport of boxing evolving in 2026 and moving forward? How do you see the sport growing?
Manny Pacquiao: Boxing has been around for centuries. Boxing is boxing. What we are trying to do now is promote more boxing and move to another level. That’s what we are trying right now, to reach out to all those classes and categories of people, families, and everything like that. So by partnering with Netflix, we can maximize that and reach all those categories of people.
What are your thoughts on weight bullies, rehydration clauses, and boxing?