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Top 12 best pound-for-pound fighters in women’s boxing: Mythical rankings starring Shields, Jonas and Mayer

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The pound-for-pound clash between reigning IBF welterweight champ Natasha Jonas and American star Mikaela Mayer certainly lived up to the hype.

After 10 rounds of high-contact action, it was Jonas who retained her title via split decision in her home city of Liverpool. However, many fans feel that the bout’s location contributed to this result and that Mayer should have left the ring with a victory.

It was Jonas’ accuracy versus Mayer’s work rate in a bout that will be in the running for Fight of the Year. And even though Mayer didn’t have a rematch clause in her contract, there have been calls for an immediate sequel.

In the pound-for-pound ratings, Jonas retains her spot at No. 6. Mayer, who entered at No. 11, moves up to the No. 9 spot following a terrific performance in defeat.

Through attrition, unified super middleweight champ Savannah Marshall and former super featherweight champ Delfine Persoon move down one place.
Women’s pound-for-pound rankings: The Sporting News’ top 12


The best in the world at light heavyweight: Claressa Shields
Claressa Shields, AKA The GWOAT. still reigns supreme.

The reigning undisputed middleweight champion also fully unified at super welterweight and once held a pair of titles at super middleweight. A native of Flint, Michigan, Shields has terrific technique, blazing hand speed and she’s bursting with energy and fighting heart.

Signature wins have come against Savannah Marshall, Marie-Eve Dicaire and Christina Hammer.

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BOXING

Anthony Joshua Insists He’s ‘Never Left’ Top of Boxing Scene

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Anthony Joshua insists he’s still at the top of the boxing scene despite a rocky few years for the former world heavyweight champion.
Anthony Joshua insists he has “never left” the top of heavyweight boxing as he prepares for his March clash against Francis Ngannou.

Anthony Joshua

Joshua will fight former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou on March 8 in Saudi Arabia.
Two-time world champion Joshua lost his WBO, IBF, and WBA belts to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 before losing a rematch to the Ukrainian the following year.
He has since beaten Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius and, in his most recent bout on December 23, Otto Wallin, when the Swedish fighter was pulled out by his corner after five rounds

In an interview with Sky News’ Jacquie Beltrao, Joshua said of his place in the top level of boxing: “I’ve never left!
“I’ll always be [there]. From the minute I’ve laced up these gloves from the amateurs until now, I’ve managed to keep my name at the top of the amateur scene and the professional scene.“It’s just the truth, it’s just how it is, and I think it’ll be that way until I don’t want to fight anymore.”

Asked by Sky News if belts still mattered in boxing or it was now about making matches, Joshua said: “I think that there is that element as well because for the fans at home they just want to see matches. At the same time, it’s like ‘I don’t care, just get the fight done’.

Staggering sum Anthony Joshua earned per DAY last year revealed as boxing champ's fortune hits £180 million | The Sun

“You will never know what it’s like or what it feels like to be a champion until you become one and, for me, belts will always matter because it’s something that you set your goals out to achieve as a little kid. If you are a tennis fan you win your trophies, footballer you win a trophy, boxing you win a title.”

Ngannou produced one of boxing’s shock moments of 2023 when, in his first professional bout, the 37-year-old floored Fury in a 10-round non-title bout, although the WBC heavyweight champion won the fight on a controversial split decision.

On his next fight against Joshua, Ngannou said of his target: “Maybe make him look ordinary.

Anthony Joshua seals unanimous points win against American opponent Jermaine Franklin in London - Eurosport

“When extraordinary people meet, they might just look ordinary.

“Of course, I think I can beat him. I called for the fight and I’m here really to beat him and that’s why I came over here. I’ve been calling for those fights for four years. I’m not here to show up, I’m here to take over.”

Joshua, 34, countered: “It’s always easier said than done.

“I look through a lot of my fights and what people have said. Let’s just look at my most recent one with my last opponent [Wallin]. I’m this, I’m that, and the other – I broke his eye socket and broke his nose and sent him packing after five rounds.

“You can say what you want to say but when leather starts landing, I think people do think different about their approach.”

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BOXING

Turki Alalshikh: The People Still Want To See Tyson Fury Against Anthony Joshua even If Usyk Wins

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Turki Alalshikh is open to financially backing an Anthony Joshua-Tyson Fury fight even if Fury loses twice to Oleksandr Usyk.

The chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, which has fully funded many of the biggest fights in boxing over the past few months, won’t abandon bouts he believes boxing fans will still want to see even if fighters lose. Alalshikh still sees a way to put together a Joshua-Deontay Wilder fight, which would’ve finally taken place March 8 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh had Joseph Parker not upset Wilder by unanimous decision in their 12-rounder December 23 at Kingdom Arena.

The 42-year-old Alalshikh will take the same approach to Fury-Joshua if Usyk defeats Fury in their heavyweight title unification fight February 17 at Kingdom Arena. England’s Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) and Ukraine’s Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) have reportedly agreed to a two-fight deal, thus the loser could exercise his right to an immediate rematch later this year.

Unless Fury-Usyk results in a draw or no-contest, the winner would become the sport’s first fully unified heavyweight champion of the four-belt era. If Fury wins, he would need to beat Usyk twice before securing a long-discussed, highly anticipated showdown with Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs), who will need to defeat Francis Ngannou (0-1) on March 8 to maintain his place in the Fury fight or even a third fight versus Usyk.

If Cameroon’s Ngannou upsets England’s Joshua, who has opened as a 6-1 favorite to beat the former UFC heavyweight champ, and Fury defeats Usyk, a Fury-Ngannou rematch obviously would become the once-unforeseen fight to make for the IBF, IBO, WBA, WBC and WBO titles. Ngannou stunningly pushed Fury in his professional boxing debut, during which he floored Fury with a left hook late in the third round, yet lost a 10-round split decision October 28 at Kingdom Arena.

Tyson Fury could be made to 'look a fool' by Oleksandr Usyk if he doesn't make important change

Alalshikh offered his perspective on those potential heavyweight fights during a wide-ranging interview with DAZN’s Ade Oladipo, which was posted to the streaming service’s website and social media platforms Wednesday.

“We want to see Fury-Usyk and the result, and the rematch between Fury [and] Usyk,” Alalshikh said. “And after that, we want to see Tyson Fury against Ngannou, or the people want to see it. And we want to see, if Fury [wins], we want to see him against Joshua if Joshua [wins]. If Usyk [wins], maybe we have [a] chance to have the third fight. And even if Usyk [wins], the people still want to see Tyson against Joshua. This is what we want to deliver to the market. And we close a lot of things about this.”

With strong support from Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and its crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, Alalshikh aggressively has gone about offering the type of purses required to make fights like Fury-Usyk, Fury-Ngannou, Joshua-Ngannou, Joshua-Otto Wallin, Parker-Wilder and Parker (34-3, 23 KOs) against WBO interim champ Zhilei Zhang (26-1-1, 21 KOs), the co-feature of the March 8 pay-per-view event that’ll be headlined by Joshua and Ngannou.

Boxing notes: Tyson Fury cashing in with Francis Ngannou fight - Sports Illustrated

“We are coming with new strategy,” Alalshikh said, “and new idea and new vision … to do and deliver to the market the best [fights], with good price, and make the [fights] that people want to see. We don’t want to waste time. Tyson Fury is 35 now, around 35. Joshua is around 33, I think. Usyk [is] around 36, Wilder 38, 37. Artur [Beterbiev] now 39, next week. Why we are losing time?

“The people need to see Joshua-Fury, Fury-Joshua, need to see Joshua-Wilder. And I hope Wilder [comes] back. You know, and there is rumor, and you know it, the fight was between Joshua and Wilder [for March 8]. But you see the result and the body condition of Wilder now. It would not be reasonable to have the fight now. We want him to come back. And I see Parker, what he’s doing, amazing show, and he’s one of the best boxer [who has come back] now, this year.”

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‘I want them’ – Gervonta Davis and Devin Haney eyed by Saudi Arabia, but no more YouTuber fights after Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury

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Gervonta Davis and Devin Haney are the latest names to be targeted for fights in Saudi Arabia in the near future.

Less than six months after entering the sport, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh (chairman of Saudi’s General Entertainment Authority – GEA) has made a serious impact.

Gervonta Davis knocks out Ryan Garcia in seventh round | Boxing News | Al Jazeera

The first two shows backed by the GEA have seen Tyson Fury, Francis Ngannou, Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder all travel to fight in Riyadh, supported by several other top names from the sport.

Fury will now fight Oleksandr Usyk there on February 17, and this will be followed shortly afterwards by AJ vs Ngannou on March 8.

And the plans don’t stop there as Alalshikh has made it clear that he wants to stage Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol in June.

Now, in an interview with DAZN, he has spoken in depth about his plans and revealed that Davis and Haney are two names he wants to bring to Saudi.

Devin Haney becomes two-weight world champion after unanimous decision against Regis Prograis | Boxing News | Sky Sports

“I want him [Davis] and I send message now to Al Haymon [Davis’ advisor] – let’s do the job brother,” Alalshikh said.

“I want to see Haney in my country and I send message now to him. I will try to do it in 2024.”

Asked if he would like to match them against one another, Alalshikh indeed gave a nod of approval.

However, he is not the first person to stage big-time boxing in Saudi Arabia.

Previously, Skill Challenge Entertainment hosted fights such as the Joshua vs Andy Ruiz rematch and the Joshua vs Usyk rematch in the country.

Gervonta Davis Vacates 130-Pound WBA Title; Can Retain 135-, 140-Pound Belts | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors | Bleacher Report

They also staged Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury in Diriyah last year.

There won’t be any further such YouTuber boxing events moving forwards though, as Alalshikh is adamant that he’s a boxing purist.

“Please, we don’t want any YouTuber fights again,” he insisted.

“I want fighters, this is what I support. For me, inside my heart, I want the fighters.”

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BOXING

Mike Tyson has an open invitation to do his wonders on Francis Ngannou again after what happened during his boxing debut.

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Francis Ngannou’s coach teases Mike Tyson collaboration for Anthony Joshua fight after boxing legend played key role in Tyson Fury camp

Ngannou shocked the world when he dropped WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and almost caused a monumental upset at the ‘Battle of the Baddest’ last October.

Iron Mike' Tyson to be in Ngannou's corner for Fury fight - Vanguard News

Ahead of the bout, Mike Tyson joined the MMA fighter’s camp and ultimately helped the Cameroonian KO artist push Fury to a controversial split decision.

Dewey Cooper, who combines his job as Ngannou’s striking coach with running Team Combat League, has now explained how the boxing legend came to join their camp and highlighted the main benefit of having him in the gym.

“Mike used to come to my fights, so we’ve been friends for a long time,” Cooper told talkSPORT.com.

“Four years ago, Francis went on Mike Tyson’s podcast, and Francis was talking about fighting Tyson Fury and people like that way back then.

Mike Tyson to train with Francis Ngannou ahead of Tyson Fury boxing match - MMA Fighting

“He made an agreement with Mike Tyson that if he did a boxing fight Mike would have to work his corner because Mike Tyson was so influential in Francis wanting to take this journey.

“Mike had to be a part of it. He trained Francis when he could. He had a very busy schedule. He and I are good friends, so whenever he came in, he took over. It’s Mike Tyson!

“I think the main factor he played, besides the great training and instructions, was the motivation of Francis. When Mike Tyson came to the gym, Francis lit up like a kid on Christmas morning about to open his gifts.”

Ngannou’s performance against Fury earned him another mega-fight against former two-time world champion Anthony Joshua, who he will face in Saudi Arabia on March 8.

Boxing: Mike Tyson on robbery claims in Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou: The real champion of the night was Ngannou | Marca

Cooper expects Tyson to join their camp again and says he is happy to have ‘Iron Mike’ play as big a role as Ngannou wants him to over the next couple of months.

He added: “Whatever way Francis wants Mike Tyson to be involved he will be.

“I love Mike, we go back way before any of this Francis Ngannou–UFC stuff was happening anyway.

“So, I hope he will come through like he did last time and keep implementing his mentality and technique.

“I’m sure he will, but either way, [Ngannou] is going to be prepared and ready to go against Anthony Joshua.”

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BOXING

Ben Davison: Francis Ngannou is a Very Credible Opponent For Anthony Joshua

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Best laid plans often go to waste in boxing but when Ben Davison took over the reigns of Anthony Joshua’s training team, he probably assumed he would spend the first part of 2024 preparing the two-time unified heavyweight champion for a shootout with Deontay Wilder.

When Joseph Parker outboxed a disappointing Wilder in December, Joshua’s team quickly pivoted to a fight with Francis Ngannou on March 8th. The opponent may have changed but after guiding Joshua to an impressive fifth round stoppage of Otto Wallin last time out, Davison isn’t taking the fight with the mixed martial artist any less seriously .

Ngannou, of course, came close to scoring one of the biggest shocks of all time last October when he dropped WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in the third round and pushed him to the wire before losing a split decision.

Many have assumed that as well as Ngannou did in his professional boxing debut, he was helped by Fury wildly underestimating him. Davison doesn’t subscribe to that school of thought.

“I know Tyson, obviously. I’ve worked with him,” Davison said at the Joshua-Ngannou launch press conference this week. “He’s a very professional athlete. He takes his job very seriously. He would have prepared properly for Ngannou. Now, mentally sometimes it’s hard to put yourself in that position where you fully have respect for the opponent. Even though you’re trying to do all the right things, sometimes that’s not there. Only he can answer those questions, but Ngannou shocked all of us and I think he’s a very credible opponent.”

The relationship between a fighter and their trainer is the most important in boxing. There are times when trainers have to ask their fighters to do unnatural things in the ring and when they get off their stool and head back into battle, the boxer needs to do so with total belief that the man on the other side of the ropes has given them the right instructions. For Davison, that bond is the most important thing to have emerged from the relatively short amount of time he and Joshua have spent working together.

“I can’t speak for him but my experience is [that he’s] extremely coachable,” he said. “I feel like trust got built to a certain point where I needed it to be just before the Otto Wallin fight. There was a few things before going into the fight where I was extremely confident that that trust was there. Now, each fight is different and you have to keep building on that but I think that the way we coach suits the type of character that he is.”

Davison and his assistant, Lee Wylie, are renowned for forensically breaking down fighters but when somebody of Joshua’s caliber walks through the gym door it is a case of simplifying matters and reminding them what they are good at. Joshua doesn’t need to be shown how to throw a jab or a right hand to the body but he can be shown when to throw them and told why he is doing so. Having spent a long time seemingly caught between styles and unsure of himself, Joshua looked confident and relaxed against Wallin.

“People were going, ‘Ben’s rejuvenated A.J.’ It’s a load of nonsense,” Davison said. “He’s an Olympic gold medalist. Those are the skills he’s always had. All that we’ve done is helped him to understand, ‘These are the tools you’ve got that we think will work for that job and these are the tools that you’ve got that we think will work for that job.’ That’s our job really.

“Lee Wylie says this about football. Pep Guardiola doesn’t tell Cristiano Ronaldo to kick the football a little bit more with this part of the foot. He teaches the team how to play in a system against another team and that’s what we do as coaches at this level.”

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BOXING

Bill Haney Labels Gervonta Davis: Manufactured Fighter Lacking Confidence?

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Bill Haney says Gervonta Davis is a “manufactured” fighter that has brought along during his career against “slow-footed Mexican fighters,” and he feels he lacks confidence in himself.

Bill states that the three-division world champion Tank Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) has been matched against slower fighters throughout his career and has never faced anyone like Devin Haney.

Manufactured Fighter Claim

Although Bill doesn’t say what he means by mentioning his son, it appears he’s talking Tank, never having fought a slick mover who uses the pull-back style and clinches a lot whenever his opponents get close.

It’s valid that Tank has never fought a hit-and-run fighter, but many fighters haven’t. Those types of guys are avoided because it requires a lot of chasing around the ring, and Mayweather Promotions & PBC weren’t going to put Tank in the position of dealing with that type of opponent.

Bitter Motivation?

It’s obvious to some that Bill is still bitter about Tank Davis not being open to moving up to 140 and challenging his son, Devin Haney, for his WBC light welterweight title without any weight stipulations and a 50-50 split.

If Bill is harboring a grudge against Tank for not giving up his A-side privileges, it’s understandable why he’s lashing out. Without Tank, Haney’s options are slim and risky. Fight Subriel Matias and get roasted or move up to 147 and fight Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis” and get destroyed.

Bill states that the more he sees Gervonta, the more he’s convinced that he lacks confidence. That is to say, he thinks Tank is scared of fighting high-level competition, like Devin and other top guys.

Of course, one could flip it around and say the same thing for Haney, who left the 135-lb division without fighting Shakur Stevenson, who rehydrates to 165, which means he’s essentially fighting four divisions outside of his natural frame by melting down to compete at 140.

Lack of Confidence

“Who would have thought that would have been the toughest task for the former face of boxing [Gervonta Davis]. The more I watch him, the less confidence I see in the kid,” said Bill Haney to Shawn Porter’s YouTube channel, talking about Gervonta Davis.

“The kid [Tank] is built up and manufactured against slow-footed Mexican fighters. He’s never fought anyone that resembles Devin,” Bill continued with his criticism of Tank Davis. “The last time we were in the ring together, he got cooked.”

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Claressa Shields Returns to MMA in February: Who Is Her Opponent in PFL vs Bellator Event?

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In August 2023, Claressa Shields revealed that she signed a multiyear deal with the PFL and would return to MMA in 2024. In this context, while she is set to step into the PFL SmartCage this year, ‘T-Rex’ hopes to win a championship in the MMA and display her improved skills. The CEO of PFL announced they were privileged to welcome “the most dominant” Shields.

On February 24th, in an event titled ‘Seize the Throne’, PFL champions will square off against Bellator champions in the cage. In one of the undercards of the event, Shields has been confirmed to feature. She will compete against a fighter out of Miami, Florida. Here is all you need to know about Shields’ upcoming fight.

The Professional record of Claressa Shields’ upcoming opponent
As Claressa Shields returns to MMA in the Lightweight division, she will face Kelsey DeSantis. While Shields is 1-1 in MMA, DeSantis is 1-2-0. DeSantis made her professional debut in March 2013 against Al-Lanna Jones; losing the fight via split decision, DeSantis stayed away from the cage for a decade. Then in September 2023, she returned against Amanda Bell to lose the contest via unanimous decision.

Claressa Shields signs multi-year deal with PFL for MMA bouts | AP News

Following the loss to Bell, in October, DeSantis faced 28-year-old Kathleen Nelson who was only making her professional debut. Likewise, with someone as inexperienced as Nelson, DeSantis won the match via KO in the first round. On the other hand, Claressa Shields has had only two fights in the cage. In June 2021, Shields won in a 3rd-round KO against Brittney Elkin who arrived with a 3-fight losing streak. However, in the same year, when Shields faced younger fighter Abigail Montes, ‘T-Rex’ lost via decision.

Anyway, given the records of the fighters, on paper DeSantis, 35, doesn’t seem to be a very tough opponent for Shields. Meanwhile, being 7 years younger than DeSantis, Shields, 28, will certainly have an advantage on February 24th.

How does Claressa Shields improve as an MMA fighter? Dan Hardy explains | DAZN News US

“Excited” Claressa Shields hopes to hold championships in boxing and MMA
Claressa Shields hopes that on returning to PFL SmartCage this year, she will win a title in MMA. As per ‘T-Rex’, her goal is to become the first athlete to “hold championships in boxing and MMA simultaneously.” In her opinion, she has grown a lot since her initial fights in the PFL. As a result, the 28-year-old finds herself excited to display the skills she has acquired over the years. “I am excited to return to a fighter-first organization and I can’t wait to return to the PFL SmartCage,” said Shields in August 2023.

Hopefully, Shields, the no. 1 on ESPN’s pound-for-pound list, will be able to offer her fans the show they desire this February. Anyway, what do you think of Shields’ upcoming opponent DeSantis? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

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Anthony Joshua refuses to explain why he only wears one earphone during face-offs

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Joshua wore just one airpod for his press conference and face-off with former UFC champion Ngannou but he refused to state what he was listening to

Anthony Joshua refused to explain why he wore just one earphone for his face-off with Francis Ngannou.

Michael Bisping respects Anthony Joshua for boxing Francis Ngannou

Joshua is hoping to earn himself an undisputed heavyweight world title fight with a win against former UFC champion Ngannou when they fight March. 8. The pair appeared in London on Monday afternoon at a launch press conference to promote their fight, which takes place just weeks after Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk meet for all of the heavyweight belts.

‘AJ’ walked out onstage in casual attire with a beanie hat and just one airpod in, something he also did at the press conference for his fight against Otto Wallin last month. When asked what he was listening to during the face-off, Joshua said on The MMA Hour: “I’m not telling you that! I’m not telling you that, what airpod? You’re very observant.”

Ngannou replaced Deontay Wilder to fight Joshua when the American ruined an illustrious two-fight deal with the Brit by losing to Joseph Parker last month. Joshua is refusing to overlook Ngannou following his stunning boxing debut against Fury that ended in a controversial loss for the Cameroonian.

 

I'm making sure it's not just prayer, I'm following up by action as well' – Anthony Joshua focused on win over Otto Wallin | Independent.ie

“Every fight leads to somewhere, so this fight is my everything, my soul, my spirit, my mind, my body,” he said. “We’ll see where it leads me but at the moment I’m not thinking about championship belts or anything other than Francis. We’re putting the belts on hold, I’m searching for greatness.

“He brings two arms, a body, like every other fighter does. It’s just his mind that’s different but in terms of his frame, he’s seen people like me before and I’ve seen people like him before. It’s going to be good, it’s going to be explosive but there are many ways to skin a cat.”

Anthony Joshua says losing to Otto Wallin would be career-ending | Anthony Joshua | The Guardian

Ngannou could find himself in an undisputed world title fight with a record of 1-1 if he gets past Joshua. The former UFC champion wants another shot at Fury and has shown a lack of interest in competing for a world title because he doesn’t want to be caught up in boxing politics after struggling for years to leave the UFC because of contractual issues.

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Manny Pacquiao Opens as Betting Underdog in Floyd Mayweather Fight

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Floyd Mayweather Jr. has opened as a considerable favorite to beat Manny Pacquiao in the announced RIZIN rematch in 2024. Pacquiao revealed the fight live at RIZIN 45 on December 31, but nothing has been confirmed on Mayweather’s end.

How Floyd Mayweather Makes and Spends Millions

As per BetOnline, Mayweather opened as a -225 favorite, with Pacquiao trailing as a +175 underdog. As the lines adjusted, the fight resembled more of a pick’em, with Mayweather as a -130 favorite and Pacquiao sitting at +100 (subject to change, view the real-time odds at BetOnline.).

The bout is likely to be an exhibition match with no repercussions on either fighter’s professional record, which may have swayed the odds in favor of Pacquaio.

Before Pacquiao can consider Mayweather, he must first overcome Buakaw Banchamek in his scheduled April 20 exhibition boxing match in Thailand.

Manny Pacquiao and Buakaw Banchamek pose for the press ahead of their April 2024 exhibition.
Manny Pacquiao and Buakaw Banchamek pose for the press ahead of their April 2024 exhibition.

Billed as “The Match of Legends,” Pacquiao and Buakaw will fight to receive a cash prize of $289,000 (10 million Baht) and the WBC Legend title. The $25 million exhibition will be six rounds of boxing following international boxing rules.

Depending on the outcome of the exhibition, Pacquiao could become the betting favorite or more of an underdog in his reported rematch with Mayweather.

Their first bout was one of the highest-selling fights in combat sport’s history, generating over $400 million in revenue. Time will tell whether a rematch in RIZIN will even come close to these numbers.

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