Manny Pacquiao open to rematch with archrival Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Manny Pacquiao invited a group of reporters to his suite Sunday at Wynn Las Vegas.

Pacquiao wanted to make up for missing the news conference after his unanimous decision over Jessie Vargas on Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center.

“I apologize for not being there,” said Pacquiao, who had bruises across his forehead and left eye. “I’m so sorry. I was told everyone was gone when I was on my way.”

It was a sincere apology from the new WBO welterweight champion. But Pacquiao also had remorse about another issue.

Pacquiao still feels guilty for not putting on a spectacular performance for boxing fans when he fell to Floyd Mayweather Jr. during their blockbuster bout at the MGM Grand last year.

“If the rematch happens, I want to make sure the fans love it,” Pacquiao said. “I will give it all I could just to get back the trust of the fans.”

Talks of a possible rematch blew up Saturday after Mayweather showed up ringside as an invited guest of Pacquiao’s.

Pacquiao said he told someone from Mayweather’s camp that the retired boxing superstar was welcome to attend the fight. Mayweather accepted the invitation on Friday.

“There’s no talk of a rematch, but if there is, we can easily talk,” Pacquiao said of communicating with Mayweather. “It’s not a problem between us.”

Pacquiao angered many boxing fans with his poor performance in May 2015. Fans paid $100 for the pay-per-view showdown being dubbed “The Fight of the Century,” but instead got a Pacquiao with one healthy shoulder.

“If there’s a rematch, the fans will not be disappointed,” Pacquiao said.

Pacquiao has had two standout victories against Timothy Bradley and Vargas since the debacle with Mayweather.

The future Hall of Famer tried to do right with fans by asking Top Rank promoter Bob Arum to sell the upper level seats at the Thomas & Mack Center for $50.

“I was surprised that many people showed up,” Pacquiao said about the 16,132 fans that attended Saturday’s fight. “It was good to see.”

The 37-year-old Filipino senator didn’t flat out say he wanted to face Mayweather again, but made it clear he wanted to fight again in 2017.

Pacquiao, who needed nine stitches on his head due to a head butt with Vargas, said he’s willing to go down in weight to fight Terence Crawford at 140 pounds and Vasyl Lomachenko at 135 pounds.

“Imagine me back at 135 pounds?” Pacquiao asked, laughing. “I can do it; 140 is my natural weight. I need to eat five times a day to make 147 and sometimes I throw up from eating too much.”

Pacquiao didn’t appear interested in facing welterweight champions Keith Thurman or Danny Garcia.

“Oh, they’re champions? Good for them,” Pacquiao said.

Pacquiao returns to work in the Philippine Senate on Tuesday and won’t get time off until March.

The former eight-division champion said the senate would be in recess from March until May. He didn’t specify what day he returns to the senate in May.

Mayweather has often fought on the Saturday of Cinco de Mayo weekend. That falls on May 6 next year.

“I don’t know when,” Pacquiao said of his return day in May. “I need to check my schedule.”

Please check. The boxing world is waiting.

Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0492. Follow @gmanzano24 on Twitter.