Pacquiao Accused of Ducking Two-Weight World Champion

Manny Pacquiao is on the comeback trail once more.

But he has been accused of dodging a former two-weight world champion.

Pacquiao is 47 years old.

He has not fought since July 2025.

That night he secured a draw with WBC welterweight ruler Mario Barrios.

Before that he had been out of the ring since August 2021.

That was when he lost a WBA welterweight contest to Yordenis Ugás.

Pacquiao is a veteran of 73 professional fights.

He has eight losses on his record.

He is a former eight-weight world champion.

And he is finding it hard to leave the sport behind.

Throughout 2026 he has been searching for his next opponent.

He had been linked with a fight against Shakur Stevenson.

Then Paddy Donovan.

Then Joe Cordina.

Cordina is a two-time IBF super-featherweight world champion.

That fight was rumored for the undercard of Anthony Joshua versus Tyson Fury in Cardiff in December.

But it has now been confirmed as not happening.

Now a different former champion has stepped forward.

Paulie Malignaggi is a former two-division world champion.

He won titles at super-lightweight and welterweight.

He is now 44 years old.

And he told The Ariel Helwani Show that Pacquiao has been avoiding him at all costs.

“Pacquiao comes back and he’s looking to fight anybody but me right now,” Malignaggi said.

“This guy’s 100 years old.

He’s looking to fight anybody but me.

Now he’s fighting a guy 20 pounds smaller than him just so he can fight.”

Malignaggi went further.

“I put my name out there.

I’ve been active.

He doesn’t even mention my name.

He knows what I said about him, and he knows I’m right.

They don’t want that spewed out in that promotion, so they don’t bring it up.”

Malignaggi is set to take part in a bare-knuckle clash with former WBC welterweight world champion Victor Ortiz on Saturday, December 5.

He says he is ready and willing to face Pacquiao in a boxing match.

Pacquiao’s team has not responded publicly to the accusation.

Meanwhile, other names have emerged as possible opponents.

Conor Benn revealed to Sky Sports that he could fight Pacquiao early in 2027.

Benn said he was offered a December bout with Pacquiao.

But after making welterweight and suffering a stoppage loss to Ryan Garcia in Las Vegas in September, he was not able to box Pacquiao next month.

“He’s an all-time legend,” Benn told Sky Sports.

“He’s an eight-division world champion.

He’s an all-time, he’ll go down in the history books.”

Benn added: “Another stadium show sounds nice.

I know the Pacquiao fight was offered to me for December.

And I wasn’t ready to get the fight done in December.

But if he wants it Q1 next year, we can do Pacquiao.”

“The fight got presented to me for December and it was just too soon, making weight, got a newborn son, so for me it was really about spending time with my family.”

He added: “If Q1, he wants to get it on again, I’m interested.

Always in the gym, always working, if he wants it Q1 next year, we can do it, no problem.”

Garcia, the WBC welterweight champion, stopped Benn inside two rounds in the Briton’s first world title challenge.

“It’s a hard pill to swallow,” Benn acknowledged.

“To give 100 per cent in everything I do, I always want to be victorious.