How Manny Pacquiao Landed on Provodnikov After Marquez Said No

Eight-division former world champion Manny Pacquiao has been on the hunt for a marquee opponent for some time, and now it’s official that he’ll meet Ruslan Provodnikov on April 18, 2026 in an exhibition bout in Las Vegas.

The Filipino icon (62-8-3, 39 KOs) has continued to defy age at 47 by returning to the ring after a four-year retirement, most recently scoring a majority draw with WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios (29-2-2, 18 KOs) in July 2025 in what was widely considered a high-level performance from the aging legend.

Pacquiao considered other big names

Pacquiao’s pursuit of big names included reported outreach to long-time rivals Juan Manuel Márquez and Timothy Bradley before settling on Provodnikov. A rematch with Bradley has seemed improbable: Bradley (retired) moved into broadcasting and is no longer near welterweight, having retired from competition years ago with a record of 33-2-1.

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A return bout with Juan Manuel Márquez—whose own professional ledger finished at 56-7-1 and whose legacy remains tied to his 2012 knockout of Pacquiao—would clearly excite fans given their storied five-fight rivalry. However, Márquez has shown little appetite for revisiting that chapter, having cemented his legacy largely on the back of that dramatic finish and subsequent Hall of Fame career.

In reality, so has Manny Pacquiao. His career since 2012 looks all the more impressive given he showed something that contemporary rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. never showed us – resiliency after a loss.

Who is Ruslan Provodnikov?

That brings us to Provodnikov (25-5, 18 KOs), who has been referred to by the ring nickname Siberian Rocky. Provodnikov is a former world champion who faced both Timothy Bradley and Chris Algieri. He lost to both men, but they both described him as the hardest hitter they ever faced.

Boxing hands will say power is the last thing to go, and while Provodnikov hasn’t fought since 2016, he has fought in exhibitions since retiring.

Pacquiao and Providnikov share a love for politics as well as pugilism. Provodnikov is a deputy in the State Duma of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Region of the Russian Federation. Pacquiao is a former senator in the Philippines who ran for president. While Provodnikov turned away from boxing to focus on politics, if anything, Pacquiao’s career is going in the other direction, with the all-time great seeming to be focused on boxing for now (aged 47) and is considering his next move in the sport.

Looking beyond Provodnikov, there remain speculative storylines around who Pacquiao might face next: he’s been mentioned in connection with “Rollie” Romero (17-2, 13 KOs), the brash former WBA super lightweight and current WBA welterweight champion, and the winner of the Ryan Garcia vs. Mario Barrios fight.

Ryan Garcia after he was knocked down by Rolly Romero. | Geoffrey Knott/Matchroom Boxing

Garcia (24-2, 20 KOs, 1 NC) himself has had a turbulent climb back toward world title contention following suspension and a defeat to Romero, and Pacquiao’s name keeps cropping up in discussions about potential future matchups that continue to capture fan interest, proving that even at age 47, Pacquiao is still at the heart of the sport.

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