Carl Froch believes Floyd Mayweather’s fight against Manny Pacquiao 2 is “more stimulating” than their first clash, with the American hoping to avoid a “stain on his legacy”.

Their welterweight bout in 2015 resulted in a clear unanimous decision victory for Mayweather, who largely controlled the proceedings with sharper moves and defensive nous.

However, it was later revealed that Pacquiao had suffered a shoulder injury during training camp, which only added to the frustration that their clash had come far too overdue.

Although statistically it is the highest-grossing boxing event of all time, most believe it fell miniature of expectations and was considered the “fight of the century”.

As for their rematch, which will take place on September 19 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, it’s difficult to know exactly what to expect from both Hall of Famers.

This is mainly because Mayweather hasn’t fought professionally since 2017, when he secured the title. Victory in the 10th round against Conor McGregor.

In turn, in July, Pacquiao drew with Mario Barrios, the then WBC welterweight world champion, proving that he is still able to maintain a high pace.

For this reason, Froch further stated his YouTube channel that Mayweather must be careful not to lose his undefeated record – which currently stands at 50-0 (27 KOs) – or risk diluting his legacy.

“This fight is probably a little more stimulating than their first fight because Mayweather is still undefeated – he still remains lively [in the gym] – but Manny Pacquiao just went 12 rounds to a draw with Barrios.

“So Manny Pacquiao can obviously fight some more. Mayweather has to be careful because if he gets beaten, he will lose his undefeated record and that will be a petite stain on his legacy. He is one of the greatest champions of all time.”

While Mayweather is risking his legacy to some extent by jeopardizing his undefeated record, many believe he ultimately has enough left in the tank to beat Pacquiao again.

One man who knows what it’s like to share the ring with both Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather has revealed his thoughts on the duo’s strength.

Pacquiao and Mayweather are considered two of the greatest boxers of all time, and each had remarkable careers.

Their success led to an iconic battle in May 2015, which Mayweather won by unanimous decision, and more than a decade later they will meet again when they collide on September 19 at The Sphere in Las Vegas.

A legendary fighter who has faced each of them is Oscar De La Hoya, who suffered a split decision loss to Mayweather in May 2007 and an eighth-round retirement defeat to “PacMan” in his last fight in December 2008.

In the restored clipDe La Hoya broke down both men’s ability to punch each other, admitting there isn’t much between them.

“We all know Mayweather isn’t known for punching demanding. It hurts. I’d say they’re about the same. It’s amusing because I didn’t feel Pacquiao’s punch. He didn’t do anything to me, so I didn’t really feel his punch.”

“They hit the same. The only difference is Pacquiao can really knock you out, but he has to land the perfect punch and Pacquiao doesn’t have as good a timing as Mayweather.

“It’s a different speed because Mayweather is a guy who has one quick shot. Pacquiao will throw four five six seven punches that rapid. I think both guys could be the same, otherwise I would have to go with Pacquiao.”

Time will tell if there will be a knockout when the two legends meet again in September.

Anthony Joshua has formally moved from the UK to Dubai, as confirmed in corporate documents filed on March 7 for his companies Sparta Promotions Constrained and 258 Investments Constrained. Dubai’s zero income tax environment presents an obvious financial incentive – Sparta Promotions reported profits of over £20m in 2024 – but the boxing implications could be more critical than the balance sheet.

Career at a crossroads

Joshua (29-4, 26 KO) is currently at the most uncertain stage of his professional life. Ten days after stopping Jake Paul in the sixth round on December 19, the former two-time unified heavyweight champion was involved in a devastating car accident on Nigeria’s Lagos-Ibadan highway. Two close friends and members of his inner circle – personal trainer Kevin “Latz” Ayodele and strength and conditioning coach Sina Ghami – were killed. Joshua suffered rib injuries and was taken to hospital before being released on Modern Year’s Eve.

The disaster derailed an ambitious roadmap for 2026: a reshuffle of the season in Riyad in March, followed by the long-awaited showdown with Tyson Fury in August. This timeline is now waste paper.

“The original plan for AJ was to fight in March and then fight Tyson Fury in August. That didn’t happen,” promoter Eddie Hearn told the media in February. according to ESPN. “I think he’ll be back in the behind schedule summer, but he’s not physically able to go back to camp yet.”

Hearn has set July as his target return date, although in a separate interview with First Round TV he admitted there is no guarantee Joshua will even fight again.

Dubai as a training base

Joshua’s connection to Dubai is nothing fresh. He has used city facilities to host training camps throughout his career, and in 2017 he was photographed sparring on the Burj Al Arab helipad. He recently trained there in February with former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Making Dubai a enduring base rather than an occasional stopover raises practical questions. Joshua’s long-standing UK squad – built around a network of coaches, sparring partners and support staff who have supported him over the years in the championship – would need to be repeated or reimagined. The loss of Ayodele and Ghami has already broken that support system at the worst possible time.

Dubai’s geographical location actually brings Joshua closer to Riyad, where the Riyad Turki Alalshikh season has hosted many of boxing’s biggest recent events. If Joshua’s remaining fights are financed primarily by Saudi investment – as negotiations with Fury suggest – his proximity to that power center is not a disadvantage.

Fury Fight: Delayed, Not Dead

Fury, who retired after back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk in 2024, has announced his own comeback and his meeting with Arslanbek Makhmudov is scheduled for April 11 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Hearn left the door open to an all-British showdown, suggesting it could come in behind schedule 2026 or early 2027. Fury, however, has publicly stated his preference for a trilogy fight with Usyk if he beats Makhmudov, which would push the fight with Joshua even further down the calendar.

The fight that British boxing fans have been clamoring for for a decade now hinges on a sequence of events that must end exactly right: Joshua must recover, win July training and stay on Alalshikh’s radar while Fury pursues his own path. As Fury said Heavenly sportsJoshua’s disaster was the catalyst for his return: “Life is very compact, very precious and very frail. Anything can happen at any time.”

What will happen next

Joshua is 36 years elderly and has four defeats under his belt. Keeping Paul was a necessary payoff, but it told the sport nothing about his standing against elite heavyweights. The last time he defeated a ranked opponent was a decision over Jermaine Franklin in April 2023 – almost three years ago.

The fresh address does not change these facts. What may change is the emotional environment around the final chapter of his career. Joshua spoke publicly for the first time since the February crash, describing his return around the friends he lost: “My goal is to continue to support them achieve their goals. Even if they are not here physically when I pray, I know they will support me spiritually.”

This is not the language of a person chasing a payday loan. Whether he moves from a gym in Dubai or Sheffield, the challenge is the same: to prove that, at the age of 36, Anthony Joshua is still one of the best heavyweights in the world. The address you provide on your corporate filing is much less critical than the address you provide when the bell rings.