– 15 hours ago
Manny Pacquiao (right) is set to face mixed martial arts champion Chihiro Suzuki. — Courtesy photo
It's been about a year and a half since his last fight, and Manny Pacquiao is taking his time to complete a side quest.
The boxing icon has been spotted on social media doing endurance biking, playing tennis, billiards and even trying his luck at chess against fellow sports legend Efren Reyes.
Pacquiao, now 45, is set to return to his hometown next month to complete his new post-retirement challenge.
“I came here to fight on July 28th… I remember my first and last fight in Japan, it was in ’98. [finished in the] “I won the first round and it's my mission to come back and do it again,” she said at a livestreamed press conference at noon on Monday to promote her specialty bout against Japanese-Peruvian mixed martial artist Chihiro Suzuki.
“But [this] The fight is only three rounds, I [my] “It's best to end it sooner than that,” the former senator added, referring to his knockout of Makoto Terao in just under three minutes in Tokyo.
Pacquiao is scheduled to face Suzuki, a two-sport champion, in a 150-pound boxing bout at Saitama Arena over three three-minute rounds.
The bout, held under the RIZIN Fighting Federation banner, will mark Pacquiao's first fight outside his usual weight class in more than a decade.
And according to the former (and only) eight-division boxing champion, that shouldn't be a problem.
“68 kilos is 149 pounds, so it's a little bit heavier than my weight of 147,” Pacquiao said, after doing the math on his smartphone. “But it's OK. I fought (Antonio) Margarito at 154 before. I'm used to fighting at a heavier weight, so I'm not worried.”
He is also a kickboxing champion.
Pacquiao defeated Margarito by unanimous decision in November 2010 for the World Boxing Council super welterweight championship.
Suzuki is a champion in both mixed martial arts (MMA) and kickboxing and is eager to use his expertise in those sports to beat the legendary boxer.
“I know a boxer's punches won't land on Pacquiao, but I'm a mixed martial artist and I believe a mixed martial artist's strikes can land,” he said through an interpreter.
“In this fight, he may teach me what boxing is, but I'm going to teach him what mixed martial arts is,” he added.
Pacquiao fought back in a way that only Pacquiao can.
“Boxing is not something that can be learned easily. [that]”I'm sure I'll learn more about boxing on July 28th,” he said with a grin.
“I'll teach him more about boxing.”
Pacquiao's last fight was an exhibition bout against YouTuber DK Yoo in South Korea. Pacquiao defeated his local betting opponent by a six-round unanimous decision. INQ
