Mayweather vs Pacquiao II Winner Could Face Ryan Garcia for WBC Title
If Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao decides to pursue one more run at 147 after September 19, the WBC’s internal rules could place the welterweight title directly in play for 2027.
Ryan Garcia currently holds the WBC belt, meaning any credible title pursuit at welterweight would ultimately require engagement with the reigning champion.
The rematch creates a parallel track that intersects with the championship picture next year if the winner stays at welterweight.
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Welterweight Weight Matters
Pacquiao fought at 147 in July 2025 at age 47, demonstrating that a divisional title remains realistic for him if the terms are right.
If the rematch is contracted at welterweight and the winner signals interest in another meaningful run, a championship conversation becomes viable in a way it would not at 154.
No belt is attached to September 19, and no weight has been confirmed. The relevance depends entirely on what division is chosen and whether the winner intends to stay active afterward.
The WBC Angle
If a returning legend pursues a championship at 147, the WBC title is the most direct headline route. Garcia’s position as champion, combined with his public willingness to entertain major fights, places that belt at the center of any serious discussion.
Mayweather’s WBC champion emeritus designation could be raised as part of any future request, subject to Board approval.
The status does not override the current champion and does not attach a title to the rematch. It simply preserves a procedural pathway should the WBC choose to consider it.
Therefore, whoever comes out on top would hold a serious claim through the previous designation and could request an immediate title shot.
Garcia has a summer return scheduled, but if the champion elected to revisit negotiations after the rematch, the emeritus provision could be formally raised for consideration without procedural conflict.
Mayweather or Pacquiao vs Garcia for the WBC belt then becomes a viable outcome from December onwards.
How The WBC Framework Applies
The WBC’s champion emeritus designation exists to recognize former champions while preserving the current title structure. It does not automatically grant a shot, but it allows the Board of Governors discretion to consider a returning champion for immediate contention if circumstances align.
Any such move would require formal approval and would be weighed against existing mandates and divisional activity at the time. The designation keeps a procedural door open without guaranteeing entry.
What Would Need To Happen
If Garcia remains champion into 2027 and either Mayweather or Pacquiao signals title intent at 147, the intersection is straightforward.
For now, the rematch stands alone without championship implications.
Structurally, a welterweight winner who stays active would not be entering an empty landscape, and Garcia’s belt remains the clearest route into the discussion.
A convincing Mayweather victory without visible decline would raise the prospect of Mayweather vs. Garcia in the first half of 2027.
