Manny Pacquiao rebrands Floyd Mayweather gym as rematch row grows
Manny Pacquiao has rebranded a Hollywood gym formerly associated with Floyd Mayweather as the rivals clash over the terms of their planned Las Vegas rematch this September.
The Filipino boxing icon is preparing to face his long-time rival at the Sphere on 19 September, more than a decade after their record-breaking encounter in 2015.
However, preparations for the lucrative bout have been overshadowed by a bitter dispute over the official classification of the contest.
Dispute over exhibition status
The undefeated American has publicly characterised the upcoming event as an exhibition, contradicting the professional terms the multi-division world champion claims were firmly agreed upon.
Representatives for the 49-year-old have so far not responded to requests for comment regarding the contractual discrepancy.
He knows what he signed.
The 47-year-old challenger, who ended a four-year retirement last year, insists the issue surrounding the fight classification is entirely a matter of principle.
Dignity. Integrity. That’s what matters.
Legal action threatened
Behind the scenes, the promotional team is demanding clarity on how the highly anticipated bout moves forward.
Jas Mathur, chief executive of Manny Pacquiao Promotions, confirmed the event is anchored by strict, pre-existing documentation.
Not one, not two, but three different agreements. He signed all of them.
Mathur claims these documents explicitly outline a professional contest rather than an exhibition, and include financial commitments that are already in motion.
He took an advance on his purse. Everything is black and white.
Gym takeover signals new era
The escalating contractual tension coincides with a significant shift in the boxing landscape outside the ring.
A Hollywood training facility previously tied to the American fighter is set to open this summer under the new name ‘Pacquiao Prime Boxing’.
Inside the premises, a large mural of the former champion is scheduled for removal, symbolising a clear changing of the guard.
Mathur described the current situation regarding the fight contract as a breach, adding that the matter is now being aggressively handled through legal channels.
