Manny Pacquiao is eyeing a returning to boxing with a possible exhibition match in Saudi Arabia in January.
Pacquiao retired from boxing last year as he ran for President in the Republic of the Philippines. The former world champion is now in talks to fight Jaber Zayani.
Pacquiao’s last professional fight was back in August 2021. He lost to Yordenis Ugas. He has not fought professionally since and he has said that is not considering a return to professional fights.
“We will just start discussions,” Pacquiao said. He is currently preparing for a charity fight against a South Korean martial arts YouTuber DK Yoo. It is scheduled for December 10, 2022.
“I will prepare in the same way I train for a real fight,” Pacquiao said of his upcoming fight with Yoo.
Yoo practices a form of martial arts known as the “warfare combat system”.
“I know I will not win against him but I will try my best to surprise Manny Pacquiao,” Yoo said.
Most of the money that will be generated by the exhibition fight against Yoo will go towards rebuilding homes in Ukraine.
Pacquiao is not the first former professional boxing champion that has gone on to play exhibition matches. Floyd Mayweather has gone the same route. In 2018, he went up against Logan Paul. He was also in an exhibition fight against Tenshin Nasukawa.
The fights were not met with a positive reaction from fans. They were widely ridiculed. He is next going to fight against Mikuru Asakura in Japan.
