Floyd Mayweather Jr. will give Manny Pacquiao a Rematch?

Floyd Mayweather is willing to give Manny Pacquiao a shot at a rematch next year,reports ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.

On Tuesday, ‘SportsCenter’ released two tweets, saying that Mayweather told ESPN ‘First Take’ host Stephen A. Smith via text message that he would be open to a rematch with Pacquiao.

THIS JUST IN: Floyd Mayweather says in a text to @stephenasmith that he would give Manny Pacquiao a rematch. pic.twitter.com/uwKT33AnQd

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 5, 2015

In a second tweet, ‘SportsCenter’ noted Mayweather would be willing to wait for Pacquiao to heal from the torn right rotator cuff injury he suffered during training camp and which apparently hampered him during the fight.

“I will fight him in a year after his surgery.” – Floyd Mayweather MORE: http://t.co/FkRbMZjz2W

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 5, 2015

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith has close ties with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Before the fight of the century between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, the undefeated boxer gave an exclusive interview with Smith in which the two toured his house and chatted. That close bond means Smith can get rare access to Mayweather, including an interesting text message.

Pacquiao is set to have surgery on a torn right rotator cuff that he sustained in a sparring session less than a month before the fight. Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz said that Pacquiao would be sidelined for four to six months, but orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache told ESPN that the injury would take closer to 9-12 months to heal.

For Floyd Mayweather Jr. said after his unanimous decision win over Pacquiao this past Saturday that he would retire in September after his six-fight deal with Showtime elapsed; but he also said he wasn’t perfect and that he contradicts himself at times.

So now, he’s changed his mind and is apparently willing to fight. Pacquiao will have surgery and will be out for anywhere from nine months to a year. That would mean that Mayweather would extend his career from September of this year until May or even later next year.

How much interest the public would have in the rematch remains to be seen. In 2016, Mayweather will be 39 and Pacquiao 37. The public feels cheated because it wasn’t a great fight on Saturday and because of the lack of disclosure about the injury. The fans’ hard feelings have been exacerbated by the exorbitantly high prices.