Boxing giant Manny Pacquiao said Monday he is in negotiations to return but warned that a world title fight with Mario Barrios is “a long way off.”
The 45-year-old multiple world champion from the Philippines retired from competitive sports in 2021 and unsuccessfully ran for president of his home country.
He is set to face Japanese mixed martial artist Chihiro Suzuki in Saitama, north of Tokyo, next month for a three-round exhibition bout.
Pacquiao said he was in negotiations to face American Barrios for the WBC welterweight world title, but said the fight was still “far away.”
Pacquiao, who has previously hinted at a return, said in Tokyo: “We are still in negotiations, we are talking about it. The fight hasn't happened yet.”
“Negotiations are ongoing. They are expected to be finished by December. November or December.”
“There's still a lot to discuss and talk about.”
Pacquiao acknowledged in February that his attempt to compete in next month's Paris Olympics had failed after the International Olympic Committee rejected his special request to take part.
The IOC has set the age limit for Olympic boxers at 40.
Pacquiao retired just weeks after losing to Cuba's Yordenis Ugas in his final professional fight in Las Vegas.
He ran for the Philippine presidency but lost by a large margin in the May 2022 election.
He returned to the ring in December 2022 in Seoul for an exhibition match against a Korean YouTuber.
He is scheduled to face Suzuki in a 68kg boxing bout on July 28th, with the bout consisting of three rounds of three minutes each and a no decision.
“This fight is not an exhibition, it's a fight,” Pacquiao insisted.
“I'm expecting a knockout in this fight,” he said.
“It will be a tough fight in the ring and, of course, I will do everything in my power to win by knockout.”
AFP
