IS Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao thinking of packing his bags and heading to Cardiff, Wales?
Rumors have surfaced indicating that Pacquiao might appear on the undercard or co-main event of the Dec. 11 battle between former heavyweight champions Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
Hype is building for Fury vs. Joshua, the biggest all-British heavyweight clash in recent memory. The bout is currently penciled in to take place at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.
Fury-Joshua is an all-British fight, so why is Pacquiao being considered to appear in the card?
Netflix plans to stream the Fury-Joshua fight to its subscribers. To also attract viewership in Asia, company executives are reportedly eager to add the former eight-division world champion to the card.
It will be recalled that Pacquiao’s brief appearance on the competition series Physical: Asia undeniably boosted the show’s profile, pulling in massive viewership numbers.
If Pacquiao shows up in Cardiff, Wales, the big question is the identity of his opponent.
A few weeks ago, reports circulated in the boxing community that Pacquiao is being groomed to face the young, four-division world champion Shakur Stevenson.
The proposed matchup quickly sparked controversy, with Stevenson bearing the brunt of the criticism.
Many argue that the 29-year-old Stevenson, currently in his athletic prime, should target elite contenders in the 140-pound junior welterweight division rather than pursuing a fight against a 47-year-old Pacquiao.
Experts believe a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a better fit for Pacquiao due to their similar ages.
While originally scheduled for Sept. 19, the Pacquiao-Mayweather rematch bout has been postponed indefinitely because of Mayweather’s ongoing legal issues.
Pacquiao vs. Stevenson as the co-main event for Fury vs. Joshua would undoubtedly be a massive attraction.
However, UFC and Zuffa Boxing head Dana White recently ruled out the matchup. This decision makes financial sense: both Pacquiao and Stevenson command top-dollar purses, and the organizers of Fury-Joshua are likely unwilling to stretch their budget further given the mammoth guarantees already required for the main event.
Pacquiao, 62-8, 3 draws with 39 knockouts, may still appear in the card, albeit against a more “affordable” opponent.
Liam Paro, Australia’s IBF welterweight champion (28-1, 16 knockouts), has voiced his willingness to risk his belt against Pacquiao.
However, reports indicate that Paro is not currently being considered.
The names of former world champions Danny “Swift” Garcia (38-4, 22 knockouts) and Amir “King” Khan (34-6, 21 knockouts) have been mentioned.
American Garcia, 38, stopped Daniel Gonzalez in four rounds in October 2025 in what many believed was his swan song.
Garcia is a two-division world champion and former unified junior welterweight champion from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Khan, 39, was a former unified champion in the junior welterweight division. He won the WBA junior welterweight title in 2009 and added the IBF title in 2011 to become a unified world champion.
Khan, who hails from Bolton, Lancashire, United Kingdom, sparred extensively with Pacquiao during the time they both trained under coach Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, California. Khan estimated nearly 300 rounds of sparring with Pacquiao.
Khan’s last ring appearance as a pro was a sixth-round knockout loss to countryman Kell Brook on Feb. 19, 2022, at the AO Arena in Manchester, England.
Khan officially announced his retirement from the sport in May 2022.
Pacquiao’s appearance in Cardiff still hangs in the balance. It is also contingent on the Fury-Joshua fight pushing through.
Fury-Joshua, supposedly a done deal, hit a snag when Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn refused to work with White.
Hearn disagrees with White, especially after White allegedly convinced British boxing star Conor Benn to leave Matchroom Promotions for Zuffa Boxing.
As a result, Hearn demanded that White have no involvement in the Fury-Joshua fight.
Last we heard, the “clash of the promoters” has been settled and Fury-Joshua is a go.
It will be interesting to see if reports of Pacquiao appearing on the card come to fruition.
