Manny Pacquiao's boxing comeback has hit a snag. The 45-year-old Filipino legend can't find anyone to fight him.
Pacquiao hung up his gloves in 2021 after a long and storied career. But about a year ago, he decided he wasn't done yet. He wanted one more go in the ring. The former eight-division world champion even had a couple of names in mind - Mario Barrios and Conor Benn.
But things haven't gone according to plan. Pacquiao's only action since announcing his comeback was a three-round exhibition bout in Japan against kickboxer Rukiya Anpo. The fight ended in a draw, and Pacquiao's performance didn't impress.
Since then, there's been radio silence on potential professional fights for the Filipino icon. His less-than-stellar showing in the exhibition seems to have cooled interest from potential opponents.
Meanwhile, another retired boxer has thrown his hat in the ring. Amir Khan, the former light welterweight world champion, has called Pacquiao out for a fight.
Khan's career had its ups and downs. He racked up a 34-6 record and held multiple world titles. But he also suffered some tough losses, including defeats to Lamont Peterson, Danny Garcia, Canelo Alvarez, Terence Crawford, and Kell Brook. Four of those losses came by knockout.
Khan's last few years in boxing were a rollercoaster. He lost to Crawford in 2019 but bounced back with a short-notice win over Billy Dib a few months later. After a break, he returned to face longtime rival Kell Brook in early 2022. Brook stopped him, and Khan announced his retirement three months later.
But Khan's troubles weren't over. In April 2023, he got slapped with a two-year ban after testing positive for ostarine following the Brook fight.
Now, it seems Khan sees Pacquiao as his ticket back to the spotlight. But with Pacquiao struggling to find any takers, it's unclear if this matchup will ever materialize.
