Manny Pacquiao will heat up for a possible shot on the WBC welterweight title with an exhibition in Japan on Tremendous RIZIN 3.
Pacquiao will have interaction with RIZIN champion Chihiro Suzuki in an exhibition match on July 28 on the Tremendous Saitama Area in Saitama, Japan. The boxing legend met along with his confirmed opponent on Sunday at a press convention staged by RIZIN boss Nobuyuki Sakakibara.
Suzuki proudly confirmed off his title belts and warned Pacquiao that he wouldn’t be taking it straightforward on struggle evening.
“With all due respect, I’m going to knock you out within the first spherical,” stated the present RIZIN Featherweight champion and KNOCK OUT Black tremendous light-weight champion. Pacquiao responded: “I’ll let him know that boxing is more durable than MMA.”
The struggle will signify Pacquiao’s return to fight earlier than a WBC welterweight title struggle with Mario Barrios within the fall. The struggle WBN first completely revealed on June 1 is at the moment in talks that could possibly be concluded by the tip of the month.
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman Barrios coach Bob Santos are each on board, as they instructed World Boxing Information in unique interviews.
“If the WBC receives a petition for Manny Pacquiao to struggle for the welterweight title, it might naturally undergo a vote of the board,” Sulaiman knowledgeable WBN. “There are necessary precedents on this regard, like Sugar Ray Leonard combating Marvin Hagler after passing efficiently all his medicals.”
Santos instructed WBN: “I feel it’s nice anytime your identify could be talked about with Manny Pacquiao. That’s all the time a great factor.”
“I feel it might be an amazing struggle for the followers. Pacquiao all the time retains himself in nice form, as does Barrios. Kinds make fights and I feel it might be an amazing struggle. The one factor about Pacquiao is that he all the time retains himself in nice form. By no means see him chubby; subsequently, guys like him can final an extended, very long time.”
“I actually don’t know. That’s as much as the WBC. So far as work is anxious, there’s no two methods about it. We’re the WBC champion, and that’s how we see it. [Terence] Crawford [WBC Champion in Recess] is now competing at 154, and we’re the champ at 147.
“The one factor Mario Barrios is all the time about is challenges. He’s all the time in search of the very best challenges, and that’s what he’ll proceed to be about. He’s in search of the very best fights,” he concluded.
Suzuki is up first for Pacquiao in his promised RIZIN look. Floyd Mayweather could possibly be subsequent beneath the promotional banner for the Filipino famous person at one other RIZIN present on New Yr’s Eve.
The “Pac-Man” introduced his intentions to face Mayweather in a rematch on a RIZIN invoice in October final yr. Whether or not that’s nonetheless the case appears to be as much as Mayweather.
Learn all articles and unique interviews by Phil Jay. Be taught extra concerning the creator, skilled boxing author, and World Boxing Information Editor since 2010. Observe on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
