If Manny Pacquiao returns, who should he fight?

Manny Pacquiao contemplating a return to the ring

Amidst the will they-won’t they noise around the heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, speculation as to the make-up of the undercard has thrown up the  surprising possibility of a ring return for bonafide boxing legend, Manny Pacquiao. 

The Filipino megastar who captured world titles across a record eight different weight divisions on his way to a remarkable 62-8-3 record, had been mooted as a potential contender to face current WBO Super-Lightweight champion, Shakur Stevenson (25-0), a man 18 years younger than ‘Pac Man’. 

Pacquiao has not fought since July 2025,  when he boxed to a draw with Mario Barrios with the WBC Welterweight on the line, would be returning to the ring 2,701 days after his last professional victory-a July 2019 split decision verdict against Keith Thurman for the WBA version of the 147lbs crown, and so a return surely is ill-advised, especially if he is to take on an elite fighter in his prime and one that features in most pound-for pound lists.

For context, Pacquiao made his pro bow in the paid ranks way back in January 1995, Stevenson was not born until two years later in June 1997. 

Zuffa Boxing premier, Dana White has given interviews in recent days to thankfully cool the rumours of a Stevenson-Pacquiao bout occurring in the Welsh Capital but the whispers of an imminent return to the ring for the 47-year-old refuse to go away.

Manny was perhaps unlucky not to get the nod over Barrios 15 months ago at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas but it has to be said, Mario proved a relatively weak world champion and was easily outpointed by Ryan Garcia to lose the belt in underwhelming fashion earlier this year. It is therefore difficult to point to Manny’s contest with Barrios as a barometer for potential success should he indeed walk to the ring for a 74th time.

The legend’s previous foray through the ropes-a decision loss, again for the WBA title, to Yordenis Ugas is perhaps a more accurate yardstick for analysing the likely success of a comeback.

The Cuban, Ugas, had stepped in after Errol Spence Jr. had been ruled out through injury less than two weeks before and comfortably contained an out of sorts Pacquiao, who retired shortly afterwards and that bout should’ve been the final chapter in one of the most remarkable careers in boxing history, despite the Barrios draw four years later. 

There has been sporadic talk of a rematch of his 2015 super-fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. with the American reportedly facing financial difficulties, but the last fortnight has seen the most sustained discussion of a ring return for Pacquiao. 

Since the possible Stevenson match was dismissed by White, three potential alternatives have emerged, two are closer to Pacquiao’s age, which is at least a positive, but seeing a man not too far off the end of his fifth decade feature in what would likely be the main undercard fight on the biggest fight night of 2026, should still be deemed a sorry state of affairs.

The outlier of those would-be foes is WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia, who has indicated he is keen to box again before the year is out after his destructive victory over Conor Benn last month. The power and speed of Garcia, who at 28, looks to be improving and entering his prime, is a shuddering prospect to a veteran, ring-rusty, Pacquiao.

His namesake, Danny, the former two-weight world champion has also been linked with facing Manny having not fought since a farewell win last October. 

‘Swift’ with his trademark left hook was a dangerous operator at 140lbs and boasts wins over Amir Khan, Erik Morales (twice) and Zab Judah on his record but has not been victorious in a world title fight since January 2016 and so would be a less onerous task for Manny if he does indeed decide to return but Garcia would still be by far the younger, fresher man.

Amir Khan is the third fighter to be linked with being in the opposite corner and, perhaps, the one that makes the most sense.

The former world champion from Bolton was a training partner of Pacquiao’s for a number of years at Freddie Roach’s famous Wildcard Gym and once Khan had moved on from Roach, allegedly due to being frustrated by not being top dog, talks have taken place on more than one occasion without a successful conclusion.

With the training links and the previous failed talks and add in the sparring stories that would no doubt resurface if the fight was to be made, there is at least a narrative to work with but the Bolton man hasn’t fought since a 2022 defeat to long-term rival, Kell Brook, and admitted in the aftermath that his love for the sport had faded and so any subsequent comeback, even if significant financial benefit is at stake, seems unwise. 

With an estimated worth of $220m, according to Reuters, plenty of interests outside of the ring, and his in-ring legacy well assured, Pacquiao would surely be best resisting the itch and any urge to do battle once more, but as we have seen with so many before him, that itch seems to become impossible not to scratch.