Roy Jones Jr has issued his verdict on the rematch between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
It was officially announced last week that the pair will square off on September 19, over a decade removed from their first encounter, headlining a Netflix event at the Sphere, Las Vegas.
Since claiming a unanimous decision victory over his rival, Mayweather has had just two professional outings – against Andre Berto and Conor McGregor – while also being involved in a series of exhibition matches.
The 49-year-old is also slated to have an exhibition with Mike Tyson, which has been reported to take place on April 25 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Pacquiao’s more recent activity could give him a slight edge, given that his last professional outing saw him box to a draw against Mario Barrios, the then-WBC welterweight champion, in July.
But while the 47-year-old Filipino was in action last year, it must be said that both pound-for-pound legends are a far cry from their best.
This view is shared by Jones, another pound-for-pound icon, who told DAZN that the rematch, much like their first fight, is well past its sell-by date.
“For those guys to make the money they’re going to make, [it’s] good for them – I like it for that purpose.
“[But], for me, I’m not excited because I wanted to see the fight five years before it happened. So it happened too late for me, the first time. This time, it’s definitely too late.
“But I’m not going to hate on them. If they’re going to make money doing it, more power to them.”
Most would agree that Mayweather and Pacquiao’s showdown in 2015 came far too late, which must speak volumes about where both men are currently at in their careers.