Pound-for-pound legend Manny Pacquiao became the oldest welterweight champion history back in 2019 and now it seems that the Filipino icon will attempt to break his own record. First, Pac-Man will make a return to the ring in a matter of weeks, as he attempts to remove any ring rust ahead of his title challenge.
Pacquiao remains as the only fighter to hold a world title in four different decades, knocking out Chatchaii Sasakul for the WBC flyweight title in 1998 and winning a split-decision against Keith Thurman in 2019 to pick up the WBA welterweight crown – which he lost to Yordenis Ugas two years later, prompting his retirement from the sport.
This year, Pacquiao has been linked to a return to the professional ring against Conor Benn in Saudi Arabia as well as an exhibition rematch of his famous showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr., although talks for both of those contests went quiet in recent weeks. Additionally, Pacquiao hoped to compete at the Paris 2024 Olympics but his request to take part was denied by the IOC.
It has now been officially announced that the 2000’s Fighter of the Decade will instead take on featherweight mixed martial arts champion Chihiro Suzuki in a three-round exhibition in Japan in just seven weeks’ time, Mike Coppinger reports.
“Rizin Fighting Federation announced today that Pacquiao will face its featherweight champion, Chihiro Suzuki, in a boxing exhibition on July 28 in Saitama, Japan. It will be contested at 150 pounds over three three-minute rounds as Pacquiao looks to stay sharp ahead of what he hopes will be a title shot vs. Barrios later this year.”
As Coppinger states, Pacquiao will use the outing to get back into the swing of things as he eyes up a shot at Mario Barrios, in a bout that could potentially be for the WBC welterweight title, after Terence Crawford was named as the ‘champion in recess’ two weeks ago.
Speaking to ESPN, the now 45-year-old declared his ambition to leave the sport on a high and to make more history.
“I made history at 40 beating Keith Thurman and I feel at 45, I have a lot left in the game as I haven’t taken a lot of punishment over the last few years. I want to go out making history.”
Barrios currently holds the WBC interim title but it expected to either be upgraded to full world champion or at least be granted a shot at the vacant title, once Crawford decides whether he will stick around in the super-welterweight division or return to 147lbs after his fight with Israil Madrimov on August 3rd.
To earn this position, Barrios defeated the man who last faced Pacquiao in a professional ring, Yordenis Ugas, back in September and then defended the title against Fabian Andres Maidana last month on the Canelo-Munguia undercard – that victory being the last of a three-fight win streak since consecutive defeats to Gervonta Davis and Keith Thurman.
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