Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao are set for a rematch later this year and now reigning WBC light-heavyweight world champion David Benavidez has offered his prediction for what is sure to be one of the biggest events of the 2026 boxing calendar.
Mayweather and Pacquiao collided in 2015, where ‘TBE’ secured one of his most famous wins – even if the action itself did not match the hype.
During the aftermath, fans claimed that the result may have been different if had the pair faced off earlier in their careers. While the past can’t be altered, Pacquiao has been presented the opportunity to level the score 11 years later.
If some felt Pacquiao was the faded fighter first time around, it is he who has the advantage of activity in the rematch, given he has fought on five occasions since Mayweather last stepped through the ropes as a professional, and as recently as last year against then welterweight champion, Mario Barrios.
Although, in a clip captured by XicanaBoxing before the announcement of the rematch, Benavidez provided his prediction for the then potential dust-up, where he shared his belief that history would be repeated.
“If Floyd Mayweather is still who he is, I think Floyd Mayweather will win but I don’t know, we will have to see.
“They are both older guys, Floyd is [nearly] 50 [years old]. I’m not trying to disrespect in any type of way but he is a 50-year-old man, you know what I mean. Pacquiao is a 47-year-old man too.”
Mayweather-Pacquiao II takes place on Saturday, September 19 at The Sphere in Las Vegas, as Mayweather puts his fabled 50-0 record on the line against his ageing but acclaimed rival.
