Pacquiao hits back at Mayweather: You come to my fights and I’m the one trying to stay relevant?
Floyd Mayweather Jr. exchange punches with Manny Pacquiao during their welterweight unification championship bout, May 2, 2015 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mayweather defeated Pacquiao by unanimous decision. AFP PHOTO / JOHN GURZINKSI (Photo by JOHN GURZINSKI / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines—Floyd Mayweather Jr. threw the first punch on social media and Manny Pacquiao isn’t backing down.
Seemingly fed up with the fresh calls for a rematch, Mayweather said in an Instagram rant Wednesday that Pacquiao has simply been riding on the American boxer’s coattails his entire career.
It doesn’t matter for him that Pacquiao is boxing’s only eight-division champion and is considered one of the legends of the sport.
“”This man’s entire legacy and career has been built off its association with my name and it’s about time you all stop using my brand for clout chasing and clickbait and let that man’s name hold weight of its own,” Mayweather said in an Instagram post.
Pacquiao, who arrived in the country on Tuesday after his tough WBA welterweight conquest of Keith Thurman, immediately hit back at his fierce rival and again called for a rematch.
“You come to my fight and then use my name in a post but I’m the one that is trying to stay relevant? 🤔 if you want to be relevant again… #MayPac2,” Pacquiao responded via a tweet.
.@FloydMayweather You come to my fight and then use my name in a post but I’m the one that is trying to stay relevant? 🤔 if you want to be relevant again… #MayPac2
— Manny Pacquiao (@MannyPacquiao) July 24, 2019
Mayweather has been in attendance in all of Pacquiao’s fights in Las Vegas this year, first against Adrian Broner in January and against Thurman over the weekend.
The Filipino boxing champion has said that he is open to fighting the undefeated boxer again, four years since their megabout in May 2015.
But Mayweather, despite teasing about the possibility of coming off retirement to face his nemesis again, reportedly said he has “zero interest” in a rematch now.
