Manny Pacquiao has reignited his long-standing critique of Floyd Mayweather, not over technique or legacy this time, but over values as the 46-year-old PacMan offered spiritual and ethical reflections on his former rival.
Pacquiao has turned to deeper reflections on Mayweather’s character and priorities. In an appearance on The George Janko Show, hitting out at the cultural and spiritual gulf between himself and his former opponent, who met in 2015.
There seems to be philosophical divide between the two as Mayweather amassed an estimated net worth of $500 million and loves the celebrity spotlight, Pacquiao suggested that true wealth comes from spiritual grounding.
“Yeah, he is boastful,” Pacquiao said of Mayweather, when asked about their personality differences. “I think his God is the material things, money, everything like that. I feel pity for him because I want to share the word of God to him if he believe God.”
Pacquiao added: “There is a discipline, balance. Control yourself. For example, you are earning money, so what I did is like, I helped the church.
“I give the 10 percent to the church, and 10 percent separate to help the poor people, building houses, giving us sustainable livelihood.”
Pacquiao hits out at Mayweather over 2015 fight
Though Mayweather walked away with a unanimous decision and preserved his unbeaten record, many fans and analysts felt let down by the cautious, defense-first strategy that defined the bout.
While statistically superior, landing 148 punches to Pacquiao’s 81, the American’s style failed to deliver the explosive energy anticipated from what was billed as the “Fight of the Century.”
Pacquiao did not hold back when reflecting on the highly publicized May 2015 fight against Money, who was criticized for his safety-first strategy in the mouth-watering contest.
“Floyd Mayweather is running the whole 12 rounds, and he won the fight. How is that amazing?” Pacquiao said, speaking ahead of his July 19 bout against Mario Barrios. “I feel sorry for the fans because the fight was boring.
“That’s not what the fans are expecting to us, as a fighter. As a fan, I want to see an exciting fight. Not a fashion show. Action!”
Could Pacquiao and Mayweather fight again? What are the chances of a rematch?
Amid Manny’s spiritual commentary, Floyd appears to be focused on staying sharp as the 48-year-old former champion recently posted intense mitt work sessions with trainer Crystal Thomas.
The footage, showing Mayweather’s crisp combinations and sharp reflexes, has fueled rumors of another return to the ring, although he has been officially retired since his 2017 stoppage win over UFC’s Conor McGregor.
He has stayed active through exhibition bouts, squaring off against names like Logan Paul and John Gotti III. But his latest form has boxing fans wondering: could a full-scale comeback be in the works?
Coincidentally, Pacquiao is also preparing for a return and will go straight into a fight against Barrios for the WBC welterweight title in Las Vegas. A strong performance could reignite interest in a potential rematch between him and Mayweather.
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