Mayweather-Pacquiao rematch postponed indefinitely as legal woes derail mega fight

The long-awaited rematch between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao is on hold again.

Pacquiao confirmed on Friday that the September bout has been postponed indefinitely, dealing another blow to a fight that has lurched from one twist to another since it was first announced. No new date has been set.

For months, questions had swirled over what the event would actually be. Pacquiao maintained he would only return for a sanctioned professional fight, while Mayweather's side sent mixed signals, at times suggesting it could be an exhibition instead.

Now, Pacquiao's camp says the delay stems from a mix of legal disputes, scheduling complications and financial issues involving Mayweather's team. If those hurdles are resolved, the fight is not expected before early 2027.

The postponement comes as Mayweather faces legal complications elsewhere on his boxing calendar. His planned exhibition against Greek kickboxing champion Mike Zambidis was called off just days before fight night after a court injunction linked to contractual obligations. Veteran boxing journalist Dan Rafael has also reported that the Pacquiao rematch has slipped to, at the earliest, January 2027.

It's another unexpected chapter for a rivalry that once captivated the sporting world. Their first meeting in 2015 shattered pay-per-view records and generated hundreds of millions of dollars, making it one of the richest events in boxing history. Yet many fans left disappointed, arguing the contest failed to match years of anticipation.

A rematch promised another chance. Even after more than a decade, the prospect of seeing the two icons share the ring again continued to capture attention.

For now, though, that will have to wait. With legal and contractual issues still unresolved and neither camp offering a revised timeline, one of boxing's biggest comeback fights has once again been pushed into the distance.