Paulie Malignaggi Accuses Manny Pacquiao Of Intentionally Dodging Him In Comeback

Former two-weight world champion Paulie Malignaggi claimed Manny Pacquiao is intentionally avoiding a clash with him while seeking out other potential opponents.

The outspoken American fighter voiced his frustration publicly during an appearance with combat sports journalist Ariel Helwani.

Pacquiao has been actively exploring options for another ring appearance as he refuses to step away from the sport.

Malignaggi believes his own name is being deliberately pushed aside by the Filipino legend and his handlers.

The former champion did not hold back when assessing the current matchmaking landscape surrounding Pacquiao.

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

He continued to take aim at the veteran icon with harsh words about his longevity.

“This guy’s 100 years old,” Malignaggi said to Helwani.

“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 emphasized that he has made his willingness to stage a clash clear to the boxing public.

“I put my name out there,” the former two-division titlist stated.

“I’ve been active.”

“He doesn’t even mention my name,” Malignaggi said regarding Pacquiao.

He suggested that personal friction and past criticisms are keeping the fight from being entertained.

“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.”

THE CARDIFF UNDERCARDS AND EDDIE HEARN

Malignaggi's accusations arrive right as Pacquiao's near-term comeback path ran into a complete roadblock.

Pacquiao had been widely linked with an appearance on the massive Tyson Fury versus Anthony Joshua card.

That historic British heavyweight showdown is scheduled to take place at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on December 11.

Initial rumors pointed to Pacquiao taking a prominent slot on the undercard of the stadium extravaganza.

Several potential matchups were reportedly considered for the legendary southpaw in the Welsh capital.

Shakur Stevenson emerged as an early name linked to the veteran in promotional discussions.

Welsh former champion Joe Cordina also confirmed that discussions had taken place for a battle against Pacquiao.

Rising Irish contender Paddy Donovan likewise publicly stated that he was in talks to share the ring with him.

However, Matchroom Boxing head Eddie Hearn has shut down any possibility of Pacquiao appearing on that card.

Speaking directly to IFL TV, Hearn offered a definitive status update on the Filipino icon.

“I know that Pacquiao is not on the card,” Hearn confirmed.

The breakdown in negotiations means that British fight fans will not see Pacquiao perform in Cardiff this December.

With Pacquiao off the event, organizers have shifted focus toward other major undercard features.

A heavyweight clash between former WBC champion Deontay Wilder and cruiserweight star Jai Opetaia is now projected as the top supporting bout.

A RELUCTANCE TO WALK AWAY FROM THE SPORT

Pacquiao is currently 47 years old and will officially celebrate his 48th birthday in mid-December.

Despite entering his late forties, the eight-division world champion has found it difficult to leave competitive boxing behind.

His career includes a total of 73 professional fights with only eight defeats on his long record.

Pacquiao previously announced his retirement following an unexpected defeat in August 2021.

In that contest, he lost a 12-round decision for the WBA welterweight crown to Cuban veteran Yordenis Ugas.

That loss kept him entirely out of sanctioned competition for nearly four years.

However, competitive hunger brought him back to the ring in July 2025 at the age of 46.

Pacquiao challenged reigning WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios in a high-stakes championship clash.

Many boxing analysts expected the significantly younger Barrios to overpower the returning legend.

Instead, Pacquiao silenced skeptics by competing through all 12 rounds at a remarkably high pace.

The judges scored the championship bout as a majority decision draw.

That competitive showing proved that Pacquiao could still stand toe-to-toe with reigning world champions.

It also rekindled his desire to continue pursuing major bouts on the world stage.

FAILED COMEBACK PLANS AND PROMOTIONAL HURDLES

Throughout 2026, Pacquiao's name remained at the center of several speculative comeback projects.

Promoters initially tried to arrange an ambitious rematch against his greatest rival, Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The pair shattered all existing financial records when they met in their long-awaited 2015 contest.

Negotiations for a second meeting took place over months but ultimately failed to materialize.

Once the Mayweather rematch fell through, attention shifted toward the December 11 event in Cardiff.

Matching Pacquiao against lighter champions like Stevenson, Cordina, or Donovan became the primary objective.

Malignaggi pointed specifically to those matchups when accusing Pacquiao of avoiding legitimate physical parity.