The highly anticipated Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao rematch has hit another major roadblock. Originally slated for September 19 at the iconic Sphere in Las Vegas and set to stream live on Netflix, the fight now faces serious uncertainty after the venue booked a pair of Eagles concerts for that same weekend.
This development is the latest in a series of setbacks that have plagued the bout since it was first announced back in February. At that time, Netflix hyped the event as a "one-in-a-generation" showdown, with Mayweather "officially coming out of retirement" to face his longtime rival once more. But the path to the ring has been anything but smooth.
In March, Mayweather himself cast doubt on the fight's legitimacy, stating that it wasn't locked in at the Sphere and, more controversially, that it would be an exhibition rather than a professional bout. This would allow him to preserve his pristine 50-0 record. Pacquiao's camp fired back, insisting they would hold Mayweather to a "binding agreement" signed for the fight. In a bold move, Pacquiao even set up a training base at a former "Mayweather Boxing + Fitness" gym in Los Angeles, rebranding it under his own name.
Meanwhile, financial troubles appear to be mounting for Mayweather. Reports indicate he is dealing with a lien from the IRS over unpaid taxes from 2018 and 2023. He does have two exhibition fights on the horizon—one against Greek kickboxer Mike Zambidis in Athens this June, and another with Mike Tyson, though that bout still lacks a date and venue.
For now, the Eagles' concert booking has effectively closed the door on a September 19 showdown at the Sphere. Neither Mayweather's nor Pacquiao's camps, nor Netflix, have commented on whether the fight will move to a different venue or shift to a new date. One thing is clear: this long-awaited rematch is hanging by a thread, and fight fans may need to wait even longer to see these two legends step into the ring again.
