SAUDI ARABIAN money men are reportedly trying to persuade Floyd Mayweather to rematch Manny Pacquiao in the Middle East.
Mayweather outpointed Pacquiao in 2015 in what still stands as the richest fight in history.
And according to World Boxing News, Saudi chiefs want to cash in on a second instalment.
It would come five years after their initial fight, the exact time frame it took the rivals to eventually agree terms to meet in the ring.
Mayweather, 43, retired in 2017 after beating former UFC champion Conor McGregor, 32, in ten rounds.
He would then return a year later to stop featherweight kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa in a Japanese exhibition.
But last November the American legend announced he was ‘coming out of retirement in 2020’ and would work with UFC president Dana White to do so.
It fuelled speculation he could rematch Irishman McGregor, having admitted he had no interest in facing Pacquiao, 41, again.
But instead Mayweather’s two most lucrative opponents appear close to finalising a deal to fight each other.
Both McGregor and Pacquiao revealed they are in talks to box in December or January.
The Middle East is the discussed location, with The Notorious teasing Saudi Arabia as the chosen destination in an Instagram post.
He retired from the UFC in June, but confirmed he will come out of retirement for his second boxing bout.
But with rival Khabib Nurmagomedov – who beat the Irishman in 2018 – facing Justin Gaethje in a lightweight unification next month, the UFC hopes McGregor can return to face the winner.
The UFC are on board, like they were in three years ago, for the southpaw star to make his boxing return in the meantime.
It makes the deal contractually easier to finalise.
