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Manny Pacquiao is returning to the boxing ring.
At the Rizin 40 event Saturday, the legendary fighter announced he signed a deal with the promotion that will have him compete in 2023.
"I have agreed with Rizin to fight next year, the date will soon be announced and also my opponent that Rizin will choose," he said (via MMA Fighting's Damon Martin). "I'm open and excited to fight a Japanese fighter."
Rizin has partnered with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2018 and again this past September. Both of those bouts were exhibitions, so that will presumably be the plan for Pacquiao as well.
The 44-year-old hasn't fought professionally since August 2021, when he lost a unanimous decision to Yordenis Ugas. He had taken a two-year hiatus from boxing before that to focus on his political career in his native Phillipines.
Like Mayweather, Pacquiao has begun pivoting to lucrative exhibitions in lieu of padding his 62-8-2 career record. Most recently, he earned a unanimous decision over DK Yoo on Dec. 11.
The former eight-division world champion has expressed the hope of fighting Mayweather again to avenge his 2015 defeat but questioned whether the feeling was mutual.
"I don't think he will do a rematch with me," he told FightHype.com on Dec. 8 (h/t Bad Left Hook's Wil Esco). "I don't think so. What I thought is that he's scared to death to fight again, and that's my analysis and thought on the rematch with him."
For now, Pacquiao's attention will be diverted elsewhere since he said he'll oppose a Japanese fighter of Rizin's choosing. If the event proves to be a big enough spectacle, perhaps that will pique Mayweather's interest.
Vanessa Posso, the mother of boxer Gervonta Davis' daughter, wrote Friday on her Instagram story that Davis did not harm her or their daughter prior to his arrest Tuesday.
According to TMZ Sports, Posso wrote:
"The state of our relationship has been in a fragile space, and Gervonta and I were both at fault for the argument. While the emotions were running high, I made an unnecessary call to law enforcement in an intense moment while I was frantic. Gervonta did not harm me or our daughter."
ESPN's Mike Coppinger reported that Davis was arrested and jailed in Parkland, Florida, on Tuesday on a domestic violence charge of battery causing bodily harm.
Davis had his bond set at $1,000 during a court hearing Wednesday, and he was subsequently released on bond.
The 28-year-old boxer denied the allegations in a since-deleted Instagram post, insisting that he did not physically assault Posso or their daughter:
As part of her statement Friday, Posso also wrote: "Today, we have sought the help necessary to move forward with our lives. I am confident that we will succeed within our co-parenting dynamic with the counseling provided to us."
Before the release of Posso's statement, court documents showed that police said Davis "did actually and intentionally touch and strike" her "against her will" and "did intentionally cause bodily harm to her."
Police also said Davis caused Posso to suffer a facial injury and abrasion to her lip after hitting her in the head with a "closed-hand type of slap."
The boxer is slated to put his WBA (regular) lightweight belt on the line against Hector Luis Garcia, who is 16-0 with three no-contests, on Jan. 7 in Washington, D.C.
The World Boxing Council is planning to launch a new transgender division in 2023.
"We are creating a set of rules and structures so that transgender boxing can take place, as they fully deserve to if they want to box," WBC Mauricio Sulaiman said to Gareth A. Davies of the Telegraph (via talkSPORT's Michael Benson).
Sulaiman asserted trans fighters will remain limited in whom they can fight, though.
"Woman to man or man to woman transgender change will never be allowed to fight a different gender by birth," he said.
In August, the WBC issued a set of guidelines for transgender boxers. The organization said it "firmly and unequivocally supports transgender rights and recognizes the gender identity of an individual athlete."
The WBC also contended that "there is no consensus whether a bout between a transgender woman against a cisgender (biological) woman is a fair bout between two equally matched competitors":
Metric such as testosterone level less than 10 nanomoles per liter (achieved by using testosterone suppression medication in the transgender woman), in isolation is inadequate to ensure fairness at the time off the bout. It can be argued that by the time a transgender woman combatant launches her professional career she has already gone through male puberty thus conferring her with the musculature and bony structure of a male. So, a transgender woman combatant may have an unfair advantage over her cisgender woman combatant.
The question over whether transgender women in particular have a physical edge over their cisgender counterparts extends beyond boxing, though the data is far from conclusive.
In November 2021, the International Olympic Committee offered new guidance for individual sporting associations regarding trans athletes.
"No athlete should be precluded from competing or excluded from competition on the exclusive ground of an unverified, alleged or perceived unfair competitive advantage due to their sex variations, physical appearance and/or transgender status," the IOC wrote.
The committee added that any restrictions should be implemented only on the strength of "robust and peer reviewed research."
The WBC's approach to transgender boxers follows a similar policy by FINA, which oversees competitive aquatic sports. FINA prohibited transgender swimmers who transitioned after turning 12 from competing in elite women's races in June. The organization said it planned to create an "open" category that would allow more trans swimmers to race.
Athlete Ally, a group that advocates for LGBTQI+ equality, called the move "discriminatory, harmful, unscientific and not in line with the 2021 IOC principles."
Errol Spence has no interest in fighting Manny Pacquiao as the all-time great considers a boxing comeback.
"I wouldn't fight him. Larry Holmes is one of the greatest heavyweights. He doesn't get the respect [he deserves]. How he beat Muhammad Aliβhe f--ked him up. I think it's because of that," Spence said Monday, per Michael Benson of TalkSPORT.
Spence was originally supposed to fight Pacquiao in August 2021 but had to pull out due to a retinal tear. Pacquiao would instead fight Yordenis Ugas, losing via unanimous decision and announcing his retirement after the bout.
The 44-year-old defeated DK Yoo via unanimous decision in an exhibition earlier this month in his return to the ring. He said he would come out of retirement for matches against Spence or Terrence Crawford.
"Of course I can fight Terrence Crawford or [Errol] Spence. I'm eager to fight with them to test them, to see if they're really a champion," Pacquaio told FightHype. "I've been fighting a lot of boxers at 147, 140, 135, I've been fighting one of the greatest boxers in the world. So, I want to test them to fight with me."
Pacquiao also said he would fight Conor McGregor of Floyd Mayweather if an opportunity presented itself.
Spence clearly has no interest in fighting a diminished Pacquiao, citing Holmes' 1980 pummeling of Ali. Holmes is the only boxer to defeat Ali via stoppage and was the second-to-last fight of Ali's career.
Many felt Ali never should have been allowed in the ring with Holmes in the first place given his declining health at the time.
Former NFL running back Frank Gore appears to be lining up his next boxing match.
Bobby Laing, who defeated former NFL player Adam "Pacman" Jones at Barstool Sports' Rough 'N Rowdy 19 last Friday, told TMZ Sports he and Gore have been in communication and a fight is "definitely an option on the table."
He continued, saying: "I want to do it. He sounds like he wants to do it. It's just a matter of if Barstool is gonna set it up or not."
Gore lost to former NBA player Deron Williams via split decision last December but is 2-0 in professional bouts since. He defeated Olaseyinde Olorunsola via knockout in May and Joshua Romero via technical knockout earlier this month.
Still, he remains best known for his football career.
Gore suited up for the San Francisco 49ers, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and New York Jets from 2005 through 2020. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and remains third in NFL history with 16,000 rushing yards.
Gervonta Davis does not waste time targeting his next opponent.
Despite having bouts against Hector Garcia (Jan. 7) and Ryan Garcia already on the books, Davis said he's already looking forward to matchups against Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney.
"I'm pushing for it," Davis told TMZ Sports.
The bout against Hector Garcia is largely seen as a warmup for a 136-pound catchweight fight against Ryan Garcia, who has engaged in a war of words with Davis for several months. Hector Garcia is 16-0 with three no-contests and will face long odds at ending Davis' 27-fight winning streak.
Davis and Ryan Garcia would be one of the biggest fights on the 2023 calendar.
"Boxing needs this fight right now," Garcia tweeted. "It's time for us to get back to what made this sport so great for the fans: Glamourous fights in places like Las Vegas, grudge match storylines, and most importantlyβthe best fighting the best."
Assuming all parties get the job done in their next fights, Davis and Stevenson also have all the hallmarks of a financial bonanza. Stevenson is undefeated since turning pro after winning a silver medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Haney is equally impressive, winning all 29 of his pro fights on his way to becoming the undisputed lightweight champion.
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship fighter Luis Palomino told TMZ Sports that he wants a bout against boxing star Floyd Mayweather.
"I'm looking for the big money fight," Palomino said. "My biggest one that I have in mind, and I think it makes perfect sense, will be Mayweather."
The 42-year-old said he would go into Mayweather's "world" and put on gloves for a legitimate boxing match.
Palomino competed in MMA before joining BKFC in 2020, thriving in the new competition with a 7-0 record and titles in both the lightweight and welterweight division. He is considered the pound-for-pound champion in the organization.
His problem has been the lack of legitimate competitors within bareknuckle fighting.
"I've called out several names in the BKFC and crickets," Palomino said. "I called out Chad Mendes in three consecutive fights when they signed him, and I heard nothing."
Mayweather, considered one of the best boxers of all time, would certainly pose a challenge. The 45-year-old retired in 2017 with a perfect 50-0 record, although he has competed in three exhibitions over the past year and could add a matchup against Palomino to the schedule.
Terence Crawford (39-0) added another name to his lengthy list of beaten opponents, defeating David Avanesyan (29-4-1) via sixth-round knockout in his hometown Omaha, Nebraska.
The two boxers were locked in a tight contest until a swift right hook from Crawford knocked the challenger out cold with 49 seconds left in the round.
Avanesyan appeared to be an aggressive underdog and he didn't disappoint in that department. He tried to take the fight to Crawford in the early going, staying in his face and throwing power punches that were mostly avoided by Crawford.
But that good start for Avanesyan just meant that Crawford understood he had to dial up the pressure. Once he started letting his hands go it was clear why Bud is considered to be one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
He remained calm in the face of the pressure and eventually figured out what he needed to secure the victory.
A smooth, compact right hand worked right around Avanesyan's guard and ended the night early.
With the win, Crawford retains his WBO welterweight title that he's held since a ninth-round TKO stoppage against Jeff Horn in 2018.
This might not have been the blockbuster boxing fans were hoping for, but it does mark the first time since 2018 that Crawford has fought back-to-back Top 10 opponents as ranked by Transnational Boxing Rankings Board or The Ring since moving up to 147 pounds.
While it's another feather in the impressive cap of Crawford, it's fair for fans to wonder if they will see Bud in a truly massive fight against a fellow top fighter.
Negotiations for a fight with fellow undefeated fighter Errol Spence Jr. (28-0) were reportedly close in the summer. However, the bout that was intended for November didn't come to fruition.
Spence holds the WBA, WBC and IBF welterweight titles, so a fight between the two would presumably be big business for both men.
The good news for fight fans is that Crawford doesn't seem to have lost hope in putting together a fight with Spence.
"We both need this fight," Crawford said, per Morgan Campbell of the New York Times. "The top two fighters in our division that's undefeated, that's in our prime. It's a pick-em fight. It's a 50-50 fight in everybody's eyes. That's what makes it intriguing."
Perhaps with another win under his belt with a raucous home crowd, Crawford will be ready to go back to the negotiation table and give the fans what they want.
