Pacquiao team pumps brakes on Provodnikov bout
Andreas Hale
created: Feb. 24, 2026, 7:31 p.m. | updated: Feb. 25, 2026, 12:39 a.m.
Open Extended ReactionsManny Pacquiao has not yet finalized an exhibition fight ahead of his highly anticipated Sept. 19 rematch against Floyd Mayweather, Jas Mathur, CEO of Manny Pacquiao Promotions, told ESPN on Tuesday.
Banner Promotions, which promotes retired former junior welterweight champion Ruslan Provodnikov, announced in a press release last week that Pacquiao would make his return to the ring April 18 to face Provodnikov in a 10-round exhibition at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Mathur confirmed the exhibition fight with Provodnikov was under consideration, but he told ESPN that it was "not official" despite the fact tickets for the event are being sold on Pacquiao's website.
"It's not official or else you would've seen a lot more announced by Manny directly on that," Mathur told ESPN.
Mathur said it is also possible that Pacquiao doesn't face Provodnikov at all ahead of the Mayweather fight.
1 day, 9 hours ago: www.espn.com - TOP