SHO's Bernstein: I Hope No Mayweather vs. Pacquiao II

By Edward Chaykovsky

Al Bernstein, analyst for Showtime Championship Boxing, is of the opinion that Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao should go in their separate directions. Bernstein, along with HBO's Jim Lampley, were the main two figures calling the pay-per-view broadcast that saw rival networks come together. The pay-per-view is now on track to potentially break the 5 million buyrate mark.

After Mayweather's twelve round decision win at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Pacquiao revealed that he entered the contest with a right shoulder injury and has since had surgery to correct the injury. Pacquiao will be out of action until next year.

Bernstein would rather see both fighters go in their separate directions than come together next year for a rematch.

"I hope we don’t [get a rematch]. Honestly, that would feel cynical to me. I don’t know if they will. This fight’s going to do almost 5 million in buys, which shatters every record. Some would say, “Well of course the rematch wouldn’t because of all this,” but they’re probably thinking, “If we can sneak in 2 million for the rematch by selling a repackaged ‘Manny Pacquiao was hurt’…etc.” Me personally, I’d like to see everybody move on," Bernstein told On The Ropes Boxing Radio.

Bernstein explained further on why a rematch should not happen.

"Manny Pacquiao a year from now will have been off a year, Mayweather is going to be 39 years old. Mayweather has one more fight on his Showtime agreement and he claims that’s his last fight, but I don’t know. He could be lured back, there’s a new arena being built in Las Vegas that he’s anxious to open. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mayweather have another fight," Bernstein said.