"We can fight!" - Manny Pacquiao expresses interest in catchweight bout with Gervonta Davis
It seems that Manny Pacquiao is interested in more than just exhibitions, after all.
'PacMan' officially retired following a loss to Yordenis Ugas in the summer of 2021. The defeat wasn't a terrible one, but it was enough for the former champion to hang up the gloves for good. Well, for a while, anyway.
Pacquiao ran for the President of the Philippines in 2022 and lost very badly. Having always had an interest in politics, many figured that he retired from boxing mainly to pursue the presidency. With it out of reach, he quickly decided to return to fighting.
In December 2022, Manny Pacquiao returned to the ring, scoring a decision win over DK Yoo. That fight was an exhibition, but the legend quickly stated that he had an interest in select professional bouts. Around that time, he named Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. as potential foes.
Now, the legend has an interest in Gervonta Davis. 'Tank' is one of the biggest stars in the sport today, and Pacquiao believes a catchweight bout between the two would be massive. Speaking to Fight Hub TV, he stated:
“[Gervonta] Davis is a good fighter. If he wants to come up to 147 then we can fight. 145 maybe... That’s not a problem for me, cause I’m an experienced fighter.”
See his comments in the video below (1:45):
Manny Pacquiao reveals talks with Floyd Mayweather for exhibition rematch
If Manny Pacquiao can't get Gervonta Davis, he might look to rekindle an old rivalry.
'PacMan' has only had one exhibition thus far, but he's far from the only legend to begin competing in those contests. For his part, Floyd Mayweather has had several and arguably led to this trend of older boxers competing.
'Money' has faced everyone from Logan Paul to Tenshin Nasukawa in his exhibition career. While Mayweather has previously shaken off requests to face former foes such as Ricky Hatton, he might've changed his mind.
In the interview with Fight Hub TV, Manny Pacquaio revealed that he was in talks with Mayweather for an exhibition in December. If they fight, it would be a rematch of their historic 2015 clash, which saw 'Money' win by decision.
In the interview, Pacquiao stated:
“I’m still active. Training. I have exhibition match this coming December, in Japan. We’re working on the opponent... We’re working with Mayweather. Yes. If he wants [do it for real, we can.] Still working on it.”