REYNALD MAGALLON

The possible return to the boxing ring of Filipino legend Manny Pacquiao hit a snag as a supposed press conference for a scheduled exhibition fight on Dec. 31 was called off.

Pacquiao is supposed to fly to Tokyo, Japan on Monday, Oct, 23 after spending the past few weeks training in his bailiwick in General Santos City for the expected six-round exhibition bout in the Japanese capital.

The pay-per-view of the exhibition match is reportedly still being ironed out, resulting in the cancellation of the press conference.

Details of the fight also remained scarce but rumors about the exhibition being a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr., eight years after their showdown dubbed as ‘The Fight of the Century”, has been swirling around social media.

Manila Bulletin-Tempo earlier reported that posters about the supposed fight had been circulating online and was later confirmed by a Pacquiao confidante.

Pacquiao, neither confirmed nor denied, rumors about the Mayweather rematch when asked by reporters last month.

“Abangan niyo na lang ‘yung announcement. Soon, soon,” Pacquiao told reporters.

Should the fight push through, fans will see the two boxing legends trade punches anew since their 2015 megafight.

That match turned out to be the boxing’s all-time biggest boxing paychecks with the Filipino champ bagging $120 million while Mayweather became richer by $180 million.

Although an exhibition match, fireworks are expected especially with Pacquiao, who is turning 45 on Dec. 17, looking to settle the score against the 47-year-old Mayweather, who defeated him via unanimous decision.

The decision declaring Mayweather the victor despite running to avoid Pacquiao’s furious fists raised eyebrows from many boxing experts and pundits.

Though he earned lots of money, Mayweather was booed like a villain in a Hollywood movie.