A definitive decision could be coming to end the Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao rematch drama.
It was announced earlier this year that Mayweather and Pacquiao were due to meet in a professional bout over 10 years on from their first encounter, with the event set to be broadcast live on Netflix and take place at The Sphere in Las Vegas on September 19.
In recent weeks, the match-up has been thrown into doubt, after Mayweather claimed that the contest would instead be an exhibition, while Pacquiao continues to insist it has to be a fully sanctioned fight.
With it currently unknown whether or not it will indeed go ahead, the clearest sign yet has possibly been given that it will no longer happen.
Speaking to FightHype, promoter Eddie Hearn said that he believes Netflix could now put focus on the WBC welterweight title battle between Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn, essentially replacing the Mayweather-Pacquiao event.
“The whole thing is a mess. I’m surprised that Netflix got involved in the whole circus of it… Netflix are new into boxing but they have got to be a bit more solid in a routine, because you can’t really announce a fight and it just falls by the wayside, it just doesn’t look great.
“No [I don’t believe it will happen], not now. Netflix are only going to do so many fights, and the word is that they’re doing Benn-Garcia now on September 12 or whenever that is going to be, so that’s obviously the fight that is replacing Mayweather-Pacquiao.
“If Mayweather-Pacquiao happened, they’re committed to that fight, but if it doesn’t happen, they’re going to want another fight to slot in there, and by the sounds of that it’s Garcia against Benn.”
The world title showdown between Garcia and Benn has been heavily discussed this month, and if Hearn is correct, it could spell the end of any hopes of Mayweather and Pacquiao colliding again.