Tag: bout

‘I’ll teach him more about boxing,’ Pacquiao vows in bout vs MMA champ

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Manny Pacquiao (right) is all set to face MMA champion Chihiro Suzuki. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

About a year and a half removed from his last match, Manny Pacquiao has been spending his time completing side quests.

The boxing icon has been caught on social media dabbling in endurance motorcycling, tennis, pool, and even trying out his luck in chess against an equally legendary sporting figure in Efren Reyes.

Pacquiao, now 45, is scheduled to complete another quest postretirement when he returns to an old stomping ground next month.

“I came here to fight this coming July 28 … I remember my first and last fight here in Japan—that was in ’98—and it [finished in the] first round. It’s my mission to come back and do it again,” he said in a live-streamed presser on Monday noon, promoting his specialized fight against Japanese-Peruvian mixed martial artist Chihiro Suzuki.

“Though [this] fight is only three rounds, I’ll do [my] best to make it faster than that,” the former senator added, referring to his first-round knockout of Shin Terao in Tokyo that lasted just under three minutes.

Pacquiao will be battling Suzuki, a two-sport champion, in a 150-pound boxing contest at Saitama Arena penciled to go for three, three-minute rounds.

The fight, which will be staged under the banner of Rizin Fighting Federation, will also be the first time in over a decade that Pacquiao figures outside his usual fighting weight.

And that shouldn’t be a problem, according to the former—and only—eight-division boxing champion.

“Sixty-eight kilograms is 149 pounds, so a little bit heavier than my weight, 147,” Pacquiao said shortly after doing math with his smartphone. “But it’s OK. I’ve been in 154 before with (Antonio) Margarito. I’m used to fighting at a bigger weight, so nothing to worry about.”

Kickboxing champ, too

Pacquiao scored a unanimous decision over Margarito for the World Boxing Council super welterweight championship in November 2010.

Suzuki is a champion in both mixed martial arts (MMA) and kickboxing disciplines and is eager to tap his expertise in those sports to conquer the legendary boxer.

“I know that a boxer’s punches won’t land on Pacquiao. But I’m an MMA fighter and I do believe that MMA strikes will land,” he said with the aid of a translator.

“In this fight, he may teach me what boxing is, but I’ll teach him what MMA is about,” he added.

Pacquiao responded in a way only Pacquiao could.

“Boxing is not easy to learn. Chihiro wants to experience [that]. I’m sure, on July 28, he’ll learn more about boxing,” he said with a smirk.

“I’ll teach him more about boxing.”

Pacquiao’s last fight was in an exhibition against YouTuber DK Yoo in South Korea. The former defeated the hometown bet with a 6-round unanimous decision. INQ

Pacquiao set for exhibition, in talks for title bout vs Barrios

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Retired multiple world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines speaks during a press conference at a hotel in Tokyo on June 10, 2024. It was announced on June 9 that he will fight Japanese mixed martial artist Chihiro Suzuki in a three-round boxing match on July 28 in Saitama, north of Tokyo. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP)

Boxing great Manny Pacquiao said Monday that he is in negotiations to make a comeback but cautioned that a potential world title fight against Mario Barrios was “far away.”

The 45-year-old multiple world champion from the Philippines quit the sport in 2021 and made a failed tilt at his country’s presidency.

He has signed up to fight a three-round exhibition bout against Japanese mixed martial artist Chihiro Suzuki next month in Saitama, north of Tokyo.

READ: Manny Pacquiao ‘ready to go’ for comeback fight possibly in Saudi

Pacquiao said he was in talks to face the American Barrios for the WBC welterweight world title but said the potential fight was still “far away”.

“We’re still in negotiations and we’re talking about that. The fight has not materialised yet,” Pacquiao, who has hinted at comebacks before, said in Tokyo.

“That negotiation is ongoing. It’s going to be by December — November or December.

“There’s still a lot of things to discuss and talk about.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFSG370oyy0

Pacquiao in February admitted defeat in his bid to fight at next month’s Paris Olympics when the International Olympic Committee rejected a special request for him to take part.

The IOC has an age limit of 40 for Olympic boxers.

READ: Pacquiao accepts his Olympic dream is over

Pacquiao retired weeks after losing to Cuban Yordenis Ugas in Las Vegas in his final professional fight.

He ran for the Philippines presidency but lost the May 2022 election by a huge margin.

He returned to the ring for an exhibition in Seoul in December 2022 against a South Korean YouTuber.

He will fight Suzuki on July 28 in a 68kg boxing match of three rounds at three minutes each, with no judges’ decision.

Pacquiao insisted the bout was “not an exhibition, this is a fight”.

“We are looking for a knock-out for this fight,” he said.

“There’s going to be a lot of action in the ring and of course I’ll do my best to win by knock-out.”