Manny Pacquiao’s Next Fight Outlook: Five Potential Opponents Named

Manny Pacquiao’s return to the ring has been a topic of speculation throughout the year, with the Filipino legend potentially delaying his next bout until 2026. After a comeback fight in July that ended in a draw against Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title, Pacquiao confirmed he would continue competing, aiming to become the oldest champion at 147 pounds—a record he already holds.

Plans for a rematch with Floyd Mayweather were announced but halted due to legal issues. Pacquiao was also linked to an undercard appearance at the Tyson Fury‑Anthony Joshua event, though those talks ultimately fell through.

Despite the uncertainty, Pacquiao’s manager, Sean Gibbons, has not ruled out a fight before year’s end. He told ESNEWS that the 46‑year‑old could return in December or January, emphasizing the need for the boxer to “get into the ring and just shake it off” after a long layoff.

“All I can say is that he is very actively speaking to a lot of entities about returning to the ring. We hope to see him in December or January at the latest. He needs to get into the ring and just shake it off because it has been a while since the Barrios fight.”

Gibbons described the upcoming bout as a tune‑up and listed several possible opponents for the fight that would follow. In an interview, he mentioned:

“I believe that, if he has one fight back, he can fight anybody. He could fight Conor Benn, he could fight Floyd, Ryan [Garcia], Conor McGregor, Paulie Malignaggi wants to fight him.”

Conor Benn recently declined a December clash with Pacquiao but indicated he would consider the fight if it were scheduled for early 2027.

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