CHICAGO - After the initial fireworks through a barrage of press releases and social media posts, the news that Manny Pacquiao was set to fight Vasiliy Lomachenko turned out to be a dud.
As enticing as that duel might be, it simply isn't true.
"We are not interested regardless of whether it is a real fight or an exhibition. Vasiliy is retired and doing other things in his life," Egis Klimas, the longtime manager of Lomachenko, told SPIN.ph.
READ Talks on Pacquiao-Lomachenko fight 'still in infancy stage'
Last Tuesday, several media outlets reported the planned Pacquiao-Loma showdown, a development that an adviser of the former senator described as a process in "its infancy stage."
Klimas acknowledged that he indeed got a few calls regarding a Pacquiao bout but he clarified that none of those calls were from "Pacquaio's camp."
It's unclear which third party is attempting to negotiate on behalf of boxing's only eight-division champ but published reports have indicated a tie-up between the Filipino ring icon and a Indistry, a company that offers live streaming events and celebrity content.
Now 37 years old, Lomachenko (18-3 with 12 KOs) once ruled the featherweight, super featherweight and lightweight divisions. He is currently in Ukraine, a return to the ring farthest from his mind.
Should he choose to unretire, though,Top Rank owns his promotional rights.
Even if that were the case, agreeing on a weight class with which to fight in poses a huge obstacle.
Pacquiao (62-8-3 with 39 KOs) last fought this past July 19, challenging the 147-pound belt of Mario Barrios, an action-packed encounter that ended in a controversial draw.
Lomachenko, on the other hand, had never boxed beyond 135 pounds, including in his final bout last May 2024 when he scored an 11th-round TKO over George Kambosos to annex the IBF crown in Perth, Australia..
As the drumbeat continues for the PacMan-Loma dance, it is more increasingly likely that the 46-year old legend and Hall of Fame inductee's next fight will be a real one and not an exhibition inserted within a concert,
As of posting time, Rolly Romero or Shakur Stevenson continue to be on target as the next assignment for Pacquiao.
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