Mayweather makes U-Turn on Pacquiao re-match

In an interview recorded this week to be aired on American cable network Showtime on Saturday, Mayweather said he had changed his mind over a text previously sent to ESPN's Stephen A. Smith saying he would grant Pacquiao a rematch.

"I change my mind," the 38-year old welterweight champion said. "At this particular time, no, because he's a sore loser and he's a coward... If you lost, accept the loss and say, 'Mayweather, you were the better fighter.'"

'Excuses, excuses'

Mayweather was declared winner of last Saturday's 12-round showdown at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena, which went to a judges' decision on points.

Pacquiao, however, opposed the judges decision, claiming it was he who landed the most punches on his opponent.

"I thought I caught him many more times than he caught me," Pacquiao said. "I was never hurt. I was very surprised at the scores. I hit him more times than he hit me."

The Filipino and his camp also claimed that he was suffering from an injury to his right shoulder.

Despite Pacquiao having arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Mayweather dismissed his pleas as "excuses, excuses."

"Absolutely not," Mayweather said. "He was fast. His left hand was fast. His right hand was fast and he was throwing them both fast and strong."

"He lost. He knows he lost. I lost a lot of respect for him after all of this," he added.

The showdown between the two top boxers of their generation was initially proposed five years ago.

Mayweather has said his last fight before retiring will be in September. A victory against his yet-to be-named opponent would put him on par with Rocky Marciano's iconic 49-0 ring record.

ksb/gsw (AFP, Reuters)