REIGNING World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight titleholder and eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao has formally signed up to appear in Rizin 15?s forthcoming show on April 21 but no other details were revealed.
Rizin President Nobuyuki Sakakibara tweeted on Monday: ?I?m here in the Philippines. RIZIN.15 will have this man involved in a way. We will be ready to announce as I get back to Japan! #rizin15 #MannyPacquiao.?
The Manila Times reached out to sources from the Pacquiao camp, but none were available to discuss the latest development.
Undefeated but retired boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., who was recently in the Philippines, was reportedly paid $9 million for an exhibition bout organized by Rizin against Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa.
Pacquiao, 40, lost to Mayweather in May 2015 via unanimous decision in Las Vegas. Pacquiao injured his shoulder during the fight.
He has expressed intentions for a rematch with Mayweather, but the latter has repeatedly refused to come out of retirement.
Pacquiao (61-7-2 win-loss-draw record with 39 knockouts) announced recently that his next fight would most likely be in July this year.
International matchmaker Sean Gibbons is looking at either WBA super-welterweight champion Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia as Pacquiao?s next opponent.
Pacquiao will be coming off back-to-back wins. He defeated Lucas Matthysse via a seventh round technical knockout win on July 15, 2018 in Malaysia, and won a unanimous decision over American Adrien Broner on January 19 in Las Vegas.
