Manny Pacquiao has been searching for his next opponent throughout 2026, but one multi-weight world champion believes that the Filipino icon has ducked him, believing that ‘Pac Man’ will fight ‘anyone but him’.
Pacquiao had been touted for the Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua undercard in Cardiff next month, with retired rivals such as Amir Khan and Danny Garcia being amongst the suggested names as his potential opponent.
As fight night drew closer, active fighters instead began to be rumoured as Pacquiao’s potential dance partner, with two-time IBF super-featherweight world champion Joe Cordina being deemed as the front runner.
One man willing to face Pacquiao next is former two-division world champion Paulie Malignaggi, however he told The Ariel Helwani Show, that the 47 year-old has been avoiding him at all costs.
“I will tell you this, this guy Pacquiao comes back and he is looking to fight anybody but me right now. This guy is 100 years old and he is looking to fight anybody but me. Now, he is fighting a guy 20lbs smaller than him just so that he can fight.
“I have put my name out there, I have been active, he doesn’t even mention my name because he knows what I said about him and he knows that I am right. They don’t want that spewed out in that promotion, so they don’t bring it up.”
In a disappointing turn of events, it seems as though Pacquiao will no longer appear on the Fury-Joshua undercard, whilst Malignaggi is set to take part in a bare-knuckle clash with former WBC welterweight world champion Victor Ortiz on Saturday, December 5.
