Two of the most iconic figures in boxing history are set to collide once more as Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao will meet in a highly anticipated rematch on Saturday, September 19, in what promises to be one of the most-watched boxing events in history.
The bout will take place at the Sphere in Las Vegas, marking the first-ever professional boxing match held at the landmark entertainment venue. The fight will stream live globally exclusively on Netflix.
FLOYD MAYWEATHER vs. MANNY PACQUIAO
Two of the greatest icons in boxing history will meet again in the first-ever professional boxing match at Sphere in Las Vegas.
Both fighters have made clear the stakes heading into the rematch. In a press release sent in to MMA News, Pacquiao fired the opening salvo, stating:
“I want Floyd to live with the one loss on his professional record and always remember who gave it to him.”
Mayweather, never one to back down, responded in kind:
“I already fought and beat Manny once. This time will be the same result.”
Netflix Fights
The announcement follows Netflix’s recent surge into live combat sports. Earlier this month, the streaming giant revealed that Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano — promoted by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) — will headline Netflix’s first-ever live MMA event on Saturday, May 16, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
Mayweather vs Pacquiao 1
The original Mayweather-Pacquiao matchup in May 2015 drew over 4.4 million pay-per-view buys and generated more than $600 million in revenue, cementing its place as one of the highest-grossing combat sports events of all time. Mayweather claimed victory by unanimous decision, with two judges scoring the bout 116–112 and the third scoring it 118–110. The rematch — dubbed #MayPac2 — aims to recapture that historic moment while introducing the spectacle to a new generation of fans through Netflix’s expanding live sports platform.
In 2015, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao broke records in one of the most highly anticipated sporting events in history.
Floyd Mayweather went on to win by unanimous decision, with two judges scoring it 116–112 and the other 118–110.
The Sphere, known for its immersive audiovisual experience and capacity for over 17,000 attendees, provides an unprecedented setting for the event and is expected to elevate the in-arena experience well beyond anything traditional boxing venues have offered.
Further details regarding undercard bouts and ticket availability are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
#MayPac2 — Saturday, September 19, live globally only on Netflix.
Top Rank and ESPN are engaged in ongoing discussions to resurrect their boxing partnership, as first reported by Brunch Boxing, with ESPN described as “actively pushing to bring boxing back into the fold.”
The two sides originally partnered in 2017, eventually extending the deal into a seven-year, 54-events-per-year agreement that averaged 1.5 million viewers per event. ESPN declined to renew in February 2025, with the final Top Rank broadcast airing that July.
ESPN’s renewed interest is largely driven by the UFC’s landmark seven-year, $7.7 billion departure to Paramount — a deal that stripped the network of its marquee combat sports programming starting in 2026.
Top Rank, meanwhile, has been without a consistent U.S. broadcast home since the split, with Bob Arum having explored and failed to land alternative deals with Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery.
No agreement is imminent, but sources characterize the talks as serious. A deal would provide a national platform for Top Rank’s top prospects, including undefeated heavyweight contender Jared Anderson (16-0, 15 KOs), whom Arum has targeted for a world title shot in 2026.
Skeptics point to the executive turnover at ESPN — two key programming figures left to join Paramount following the UFC deal — as a potential complicating factor going forward.
Insider’s Perspective
Veteran boxing broadcaster Al Bernstein knows a thing or two about ESPN’s complicated history with the sport, having spent over two decades calling fights for the network. The longtime analyst weighed in:
“I worked at ESPN for 24 years. Their relation ship with the sport of boxing has always been schizophrenic. They get enamored for a while, then not so much, then a little interested, then indifferent sometimes even condescending & dismissive. This process will never change. So, if this story is true it doesn’t shock me.”
I worked at @espn for 24 years. Their relation ship with the sport of boxing has always been schizophrenic. They get enamored for a while, then not so much, then a little interested, then indifferent sometimes even condescending & dismissive. This process will never change. So,… https://t.co/nQckdaD7SG
Floyd Mayweather Jr. is ending his nine-year retirement from professional boxing to face Manny Pacquiao in a highly anticipated rematch, set for the Sphere in Las Vegas this September, according to Ring Magazine’s Mike Coppinger.
The bout comes eleven years after their first meeting, which Mayweather won by wide unanimous decision at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. This time, the two legends will square off at Sin City’s newest iconic venue just across town.
Mayweather, now 48, last fought professionally in August 2017 when he stopped Conor McGregor via tenth-round TKO. Pacquiao has been more recently active, fighting to a draw against then-WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios last summer.
Both men are considered among the greatest pound-for-pound boxers of their generation, having conquered multiple world championship divisions during their careers. The rematch is already being called one of the biggest fights of 2026 despite both fighters being well past their respective primes.
Questions remain about the competitive stakes at this stage of each man’s career, but the star power alone is expected to generate massive interest. A date and full promotional details are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
BREAKING: Mayweather vs Pacquiao 2 is expected to happen in September at the Sphere in Las Vegas!
After a rough patch over the last few years, Ryan Garcia is finally a world champion, besting Mario Barrios to become the new WBC welterweight champion.
The fight headlined “The Ring: High Stakes,” which took place on February 21 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
It was a commanding performance that saw Garcia dominate from start to finish, dropping Barrios in the opening frame with a pair of right hands.
Garcia’s speed and precision proved to be overwhelming on the now-former champion. His sharp punching broke through Barrios’ guard on multiple occasions, working Barrios over well by mixing in damaging body shots.
By the midway point, Barrios was struggling to land much in a clean manner, while Garcia used his speed and combinations to dismantle Barrios.
Garcia appeared to slow in the final few rounds of the fight, but it did not matter. Barrios continued to not get out of the gate, struggling to land as Garcia used footwork and distance to avoid damage and land from range at will.
All three judges noted the one-sided fight, with scores of 120-107, 119-108, and 118-109.
Insane the judges gave Barrios any rounds. That was the epitome of a shutout. #boxing#BarriosGarcia
Garcia — a former WBC interim lightweight champion — rebounds from his WBA lightweight title fight loss against Rolando Romero in Times Square last May. He entered 1-2-1 in his last four, which included his then-unbeaten record ending at the hands of Gervonta “Tank” Davis and his infamous no-contest against Devin Haney.
Barrios’ title run began when he defeated Yordenis Ugas for the interim WBC welterweight title in September 2023. After a defense against Fabian Maidana in 2024, Barrios’ interim tag was removed.
Prior to tonight, he retained the welterweight title in two close draws, against Abel Ramos during the undercard of Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson and against a coming-out-of-retirement Manny Pacquiao.
Richardson Hitchins has been pulled from tonight’s co-main event at The Ring: High Stakes in Las Vegas, leaving Oscar Duarte without his first world title opportunity just hours before the show was set to begin at T-Mobile Arena.
The Ring Magazine announced the withdrawal on fight day. The reported reason is illness, though no further details have been provided about Hitchins’ condition.
The timing made it all the more stunning. On Friday, Hitchins made weight alongside Duarte and faced off at the ceremonials without incident. That evening, he posted to social media that he was just “1 sleep away,” then followed up Saturday morning with a story saying “Go time, 21-0 real soon.” Hours later, the fight was off.
Duarte had also been active on social media in the hours before the cancellation, re-sharing photos with family and appearing fully prepared for the biggest night of his career. The Mexican contender (30-2-1) now misses out on both the IBF super-lightweight title shot and a massive payday on a high-profile Las Vegas card.
The reaction on social media was swift and harsh toward Hitchins. One post on X suggested he would need to stay off the platform for a while; others called him the “most cap” man in boxing given his confident posts leading up to fight day. Hitchins had been inactive since his eighth-round TKO of George Kambosos Jr. in June and was set to make just the second defense of his IBF title tonight.
Some fans offered a more sympathetic read, pointing to the IBF’s rehydration clause as a potential factor. Under IBF rules, fighters can only weigh a maximum of 10 pounds more on fight day than they did on the morning of the official weigh-in — a restriction that has become increasingly controversial and has caused issues for champions at multiple weight classes.
A brawl erupted at the weigh-in for Claressa Shields vs. Franchon Crews-Dezurn 2 on February 21, 2026, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, adding major intensity to an already heated rivalry heading into tomorrow’s undisputed women’s heavyweight championship rematch.
The confrontation escalated quickly during the official face-off between the two fighters. Videos circulating on social media from outlets including DAZN and Ring Magazine show intense staring, forehead-to-forehead contact, and shoving before security was forced to intervene. Crews-Dezurn was described as visibly furious in the post-weigh-in scene, with DAZN’s own coverage captioning the footage as “CRAZY” and noting she was “NOT happy”. Multiple boxing outlets labeled it a full brawl, with clips headlined “BRAWL BREAKS OUT AT CLARESSA vs. FRANCHON WEIGH-IN” spreading rapidly across Instagram and Facebook.
The Weigh-In Numbers
Crews-Dezurn came in at 174.2 lbs, just under the 175 lb heavyweight limit. Shields, the defending undisputed champion at 17-0, is expected to have made weight as well with no reports of any issues on her end.
The Backstory Fueling the Tension
This fight has long simmered beneath the surface. The two have known each other since their Team USA days, sparred together extensively, and Shields has admitted Crews-Dezurn hits her “harder than anybody, man or woman”. Despite that history, a rift has developed, with Crews-Dezurn publicly expressing frustration over feeling sidelined in the promotion and not being given equal billing for this fight. She was particularly vocal about being treated as the “B-side,” saying, “I’m not a B-side, baby, and I never have been”.
Fight Details
The rematch goes ahead as scheduled Sunday, February 22, live on DAZN from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. No cancellation has been reported despite the weigh-in chaos. With an expected crowd of around 18,000 and undisputed heavyweight titles on the line, the brawl at the scales has only raised the stakes further.
Claressa Shields (17-0) puts her undisputed heavyweight championship on the line against Franchon Crews-Dezurn (10-2) this Sunday, February 22, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The fight streams live on DAZN with the first bout at 4:30 p.m. ET and the main card beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
It is a rematch nearly ten years in the making. The two first met in 2016 on the Andre Ward vs. Sergey Kovalev undercard, when Shields won a four-round unanimous decision in both fighters’ professional debuts. Women’s boxing was still fighting for television dates back then. Sunday, nine belts sat on the table at Thursday’s press conference.
Main event: Claressa Shields (c) 17-0 vs. Franchon Crews-Dezurn 10-2, undisputed heavyweight championship
Date: Sunday, February 22, 2026
Start time: 7 p.m. ET / Midnight UK
Streaming: DAZN
Venue: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit
What Shields Said
Shields made clear the rematch has been on her mind for years. “She was my motivation back then,” Shields said at the press conference. “I knew from back then that she hit hard. That’s what I noticed when I was 13.”
The champion described building her entire training mindset around Crews-Dezurn before they ever turned pro. “When I ran, I thought about her. When I sparred in the ring, I thought about her. When I punched the bag, I thought about her.”
Stylistic Breakdown
Shields is a sharp, technical boxer who establishes range with her jab and picks combinations behind quick feet. At heavyweight, punch selection and conditioning become critical late. The extra weight class tests stamina in ways that separate natural heavyweights from those moving up.
Crews-Dezurn is a physical inside fighter. She leans on opponents, works the body, and uses her head on the chest in close quarters. She holds unified belts at super middleweight and is moving up for this contest. Carrying that inside game over ten rounds against a bigger, unbeaten champion is the central challenge she faces Sunday.
What’s at Stake
Sunday’s bout is contested at heavyweight only — the super middleweight titles Crews-Dezurn holds are not on the line. A Shields victory consolidates the division further and gives her leverage heading into negotiations with mandatory challengers who are already in line.
Detroit has become Shields’ home base. This is her fifth consecutive fight in Michigan and her fourth at Little Caesars Arena. She drew 15,600 for her last outing there in July against Lani Daniels. A similar crowd is expected Sunday night.
Tonight’s WBC welterweight title fight between Ryan Garcia and champion Mario Barrios is locked in at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and the books have made their pick clear heading into tonight’s main event of The Ring: High Stakes on DAZN PPV.
Garcia opens as a -240 favorite, with Barrios coming back at +200. The total is set at 10.5 rounds, with the over (-140) favored — meaning books expect this fight to go past the 10th round, whether that ends in a late stoppage or a decision.
Method of Victory Odds
The prop market adds some nuance. Garcia by KO/TKO/DQ is listed at +120, making it the most likely single outcome on the board. Garcia by decision is a longer shot at +215, while Barrios winning by decision checks in at +330. Barrios by KO/TKO/DQ is a distant +600, and a draw sits at +1600.
Garcia is favored to win, and the method market leans toward a stoppage — but the over on rounds suggests it won’t come early.
Round Betting
The round props reinforce that picture. Garcia by KO/TKO in rounds 7-9 offers the best value at +450, followed by rounds 4-6 at +650 and rounds 10-12 at +750. An early Garcia finish in rounds 1-3 is a longshot at +1400. On the Barrios side, a KO in rounds 7-9 is +1800 and rounds 4-6 sit at +2500.
Taken together, the market points to a Garcia win that arrives, if it does, in the championship rounds.
The Ring: High Stakes main card begins at 7:55 p.m. ET, with Garcia and Barrios expected to make their ring walks around 11 p.m. ET. Stay tuned to MMA News for live results and post-fight coverage.
Mario Barrios puts his WBC welterweight championship on the line against Ryan Garcia tonight (Saturday, February 21, 2026) in the main event of “The Ring: High Stakes” at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, streaming live on DAZN PPV.
Key Points
High Stakes Main Event: WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios (29-2-2, 18 KOs) faces Ryan Garcia (24-2, 20 KOs) in a fight that could define both men’s careers at 147 pounds.
Stacked Undercard: Two additional world title fights headline the undercard, with Richardson Hitchins defending the IBF super lightweight belt and Gary Antuanne Russell making his first WBA super lightweight title defense.
How to Watch: DAZN PPV, with the main card beginning at 8 p.m. ET and main event ring walks expected around 11:53 p.m. ET.
A Crossroads Fight for Both Men
This is as close to a must-win fight as it gets for both Barrios and Garcia. The champion enters having gone through an extended stretch without a clean victory — his last decisive win came in a decision over Fabian Maidana in May 2024. Since then, Barrios has fought to controversial draws against both Abel Ramos and Manny Pacquiao, retaining his title by technicality but failing to make a definitive statement at the top of the welterweight division.
For Garcia, this represents his best opportunity to silence the critics and capture the first world title of his professional career. “KingRy” hasn’t had an official win since his December 2023 knockout of Oscar Duarte — the same fighter Hitchins faces on Saturday’s undercard.
Garcia’s majority decision victory over Devin Haney in April 2024 was overturned to a no-contest after he tested positive for ostarine, leading to a one-year suspension. He returned in May 2025 and was upset by Rolando Romero via unanimous decision at the Fatal Fury card in Times Square, getting dropped in the second round and never finding his rhythm.
Mario Barrios (c) (29-2-2) vs. Ryan Garcia (24-2) – Vacant WBC Welterweight Championship
Richardson Hitchins (c) (20-0) vs. Oscar Duarte (30-2-1) – IBF Super Lightweight Championship
Gary Antuanne Russell (c) (18-1) vs. Andy Hiraoka (24-0) – WBA Super Lightweight Championship
Frank Martin (19-1) vs. Nahir Albright (17-2) – Super Lightweight
Bektemir Melikuziev (10-1) vs. Sena Agbeko (29-4) – Super Middleweight
“LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE!”® The prestigious RING (vacant) welterweight championship belt (pictured w/Ring CEO Rick Reeno) is on the line with Mario Barrios vs Ryan Garcia Saturday @DAZNBoxing @ringmagazine pic.twitter.com/tz2NScPHHB
WBC Welterweight Championship: Mario Barrios (c) vs. Ryan Garcia
Barrios weighed in at 147 pounds on Friday, while Garcia came in at 146.5, with both fighters appearing to be in excellent shape heading into fight night. The 30-year-old champion from San Antonio has held the WBC welterweight title since being promoted to full champion after Terence Crawford vacated the belt. He originally won the interim title by defeating Yordenis Ugas in September 2023 and has defended the belt against Maidana, Ramos (draw), and Manny Pacquiao (draw).
Garcia remains one of boxing’s biggest draws despite his recent struggles. The 27-year-old possesses legitimate one-punch knockout power, particularly with his vicious left hook, and his speed has given virtually every opponent trouble. The question is whether Garcia can maintain focus and consistency over 12 rounds, especially after the lackluster showing against Romero. Garcia claims to have rededicated himself to the sport following that defeat.
The size matchup favors Barrios, who has a significant height and reach advantage. The champion has spoken about having a “blueprint” for Garcia, planning to use his jab and ring IQ to keep Garcia at the end of his punches. However, Barrios hasn’t shown consistent power since moving up to 147 pounds, and his inability to put fights away definitively has been a recurring theme. Garcia enters as the betting favorite at approximately -230, while Barrios sits as the underdog around +198.
IBF Super Lightweight Championship: Richardson Hitchins (c) vs. Oscar Duarte
The co-main event features one of boxing’s most technically gifted young champions in Richardson Hitchins, who makes the second defense of his IBF super lightweight title against Mexico’s Oscar Duarte. Hitchins (20-0, 8 KOs) is coming off a dominant eighth-round TKO of former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr. last June at Madison Square Garden, where he walked down the aggressive Australian and landed sharp, straight punches all night before finishing him with a brutal body shot.
The Brooklyn native won his title with a split decision over Liam Paro in Puerto Rico in December 2024 and has looked increasingly dominant with each outing. Duarte (30-2-1) is a solid, experienced operator who previously lost to Garcia by eighth-round knockout in December 2023. Hitchins enters as a massive -550 favorite.
WBA Super Lightweight Championship: Gary Antuanne Russell (c) vs. Andy Hiraoka
Gary Antuanne Russell makes his first defense of the WBA super lightweight title he won in dominant fashion against José Valenzuela last March. The 2016 U.S. Olympian put on a masterclass in that fight, throwing 957 punches and landing 252 en route to a lopsided unanimous decision (120-108, 119-109, 119-109). The younger brother of former WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr. carries frightening power with 17 knockouts in 18 wins, and his only career loss came via split decision to Alberto Puello in June 2024.
Japan’s Andy Hiraoka (24-0) enters as Russell’s mandatory challenger and brings an undefeated record and relentless pressure style. This should be a fan-friendly clash of styles.
Frank Martin vs. Nahir Albright
Former lightweight title challenger Frank Martin (19-1) looks to bounce back in a super lightweight bout against Nahir Albright (17-2). Martin is one of the more skilled fighters in the 135-140 pound range and should provide a solid start to the PPV portion of the card.
Bektemir Melikuziev vs. Sena Agbeko
Hard-hitting super middleweight Bektemir Melikuziev (10-1) opens the PPV card against Sena Agbeko (29-4). The Uzbek puncher is looking to build momentum toward a title shot in the 168-pound division.
How to Watch
Date/Time: Saturday, February 21, 2026. PPV main card at 7:55 p.m. ET / 4:55 p.m. PT. Main event ring walks approximately 11:53 p.m. ET.
Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
Streaming: DAZN PPV
Price: $69.99 standalone PPV, or included with DAZN Ultimate Tier ($44.99/month)
Don’t Miss MMA News Coverage
Stay tuned to MMANews.com for results, fight highlights, and post-event analysis from “The Ring: High Stakes.”
Eddie Hearn learned of the Benn-Zuffa signing via an email from Benn’s lawyer — not from Benn himself.
After receiving the email, Hearn texted Benn asking for a phone call. Benn said no.
Hearn loaned Benn hundreds of thousands of pounds and publicly defended him for two full years during the failed drug test controversy — when, by Hearn’s account, no one else in boxing would.
Matchroom submitted a counter-offer that Hearn believes would have been “quite close” to the Zuffa number — but says the door was never really open for a negotiation.
Hearn says the Zuffa approach to Benn predated his recent public war of words with Dana White by several days, but acknowledged Benn was “used as a pawn” in the broader Hearn-White rivalry.
Eddie Hearn says he is “pretty devastated” by Conor Benn‘s shock signing with Zuffa Boxing — and revealed the situation stings even more because Benn refused to give him a phone call before the announcement was made.
Speaking with iFL TV in a late-night exclusive interview on February 20 — just one day before a sold-out Matchroom show in Nottingham — Hearn opened up about learning of the deal through an email from Benn’s lawyer rather than directly from the fighter himself.
“I actually received an email from Conor Benn’s lawyer to make me aware of it,” Hearn said. “I’m not going to sit here and hang Conor Benn out to dry — but me personally, I’m pretty devastated. Very, very surprising, very, very painful. But just another moment in life that you live and learn from.”
Hearn Asked for a Call — Benn Said No
After receiving the lawyer’s email, Hearn texted Benn directly requesting a conversation. According to Hearn, Benn declined. That refusal became the emotional centerpiece of the interview.
“For everything I’ve done for you, I think you deserve — I deserve a call,” Hearn said. “And he said, ‘No.’ And I was like, ‘Man… I can’t believe it.’”
Hearn placed the blame squarely on himself for not securing Benn to a new contract earlier, acknowledging he had the opportunity but never felt it was necessary.
“I just felt that the loyalty that we’d shown would never ever put us in this position,” he said. “I misjudged the character.”
The Matchroom boss noted that he loaned Benn “hundreds of thousands of pounds” and went to bat for him publicly during a two-year period stemming from Benn’s failed drug tests — a stretch during which, Hearn says, no one else in boxing was willing to stand behind the fighter.
“When no one believed him, no one backed him — I did,” he said. “It feels a little bit of a wasted few years, because I gave a lot.”
The signing lands amid an escalating public feud between Hearn and Zuffa Boxing’s Dana White. Hearn had called Zuffa Boxing’s output “absolute complete dogsh*t” just days earlier, prompting White to fire back. Hearn was careful to note that the Benn approach predated those comments but acknowledged the signing fits a broader pattern.
“Connor’s been used as a pawn in that respect — and that’s just the business,” Hearn said. “I don’t think this has got nothing to do with my comments yesterday, because this was days before that. But it’s all part of the game. I said to you, this is going to be a long war.”
Dana White had mocked rival promoters after Zuffa Boxing 03, saying competing with established boxing was “like beating up babies.” Hearn’s loss of Benn — whom he rated as Matchroom’s second-biggest commercial asset behind only Anthony Joshua — will be seen as a significant blow in that rivalry.
Eddie Hearn responds to Dana White:
Yes, I do work for my dad, but guess what? Dana White has worked for his daddy for a long time. The Fertitta brothers, that's who he worked for. And right now Dana White's got a new daddy and his name is Turki Alalshikh.
Hearn did say Matchroom submitted a counter-offer that he believes would have been competitive.
“Part of the deal, I think we would have got quite close to it,” he said. “But I think by then it was just the way it played out.” He also took a pointed shot at Benn’s manager, Keith Connelly: “I had some very choice words with him. The old Keithy baby does it again.”
Joshua the Counter-Example — And Defiance Going Forward
In one of the interview’s most revealing moments, Hearn unprompted drew a sharp contrast between Benn and Anthony Joshua on the question of loyalty.
“Joshua is a different breed of class and loyalty,” he said. “Joshua is one of a kind. He’s cut from a different cloth.”
As for Benn, Hearn’s assessment was reluctant but pointed: “I got the character wrong. I took the loyalty for granted because of what I did, and I shouldn’t have done that. Maybe he’s not quite the person I thought he was.”
Despite the pain, Hearn — who has faced questions about his future in a boxing landscape increasingly shaped by White and Saudi interests — closed the interview with a characteristic pivot toward defiance.
“All this does is just put a little bit more of a fucking rocket up my ass to say, ‘Okay — we’ll see.’”
Hearn signed off with:
“From the realest, most loyal promoter you could ever fucking find — tune in tomorrow night live on DAZN for a sold-out show, Wood vs. Warrington rematch.”
