Manny Pacquiao’s opponent risks £3.9MILLION fine during fight against boxing legend
MANNY PACQUIAO is in line for a £3.9MILLION payout in his boxing return – should his opponent break the rules.
The Filipino icon makes his return to the ring over the weekend in Tokyo with Japanese MMA promotion Rizin.
Pacquiao, 45, will face former K-1 Kickboxing champion Rukiya Anpo, 28, in a strictly boxing rules bout.
Floyd Mayweather, 47, similarly had two exhibitions with Rizin against martial artists and won both by knockout.
In 2018, he beat kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa, 25, and the contract included a financial penalty for using any illegal strikes.
And the same clause is included in Pacquiao and Anpo’s deal – with a kick resulting in a $5m (£3.9m) penalty.
Rizin president Nobuyuki Sakakibara confirmed the rules in quotes translated by Beyond Kickboxing.
Sakakibara said: “Any violation will be punishable by a $5million fine.
“At the time of Tenshin versus Mayweather in 2018 that was approximately 500million yen (£2.5m).
“However, due to the weak yen, that figure is now around 750million yen.”
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
Pacquiao retired in 2021 following defeat to Yordenis Ugas but he has boxed in an exhibition since with the view to make a comeback.
He has been linked with fighting UFC superstar Conor McGregor, 36, and unbeaten British boxer Conor Benn, 27.
But more recently, the WBC confirmed they would sanction PacMan coming out of retirement to fight world champion Mario Barrios, 29.
Talks are ongoing with Pacquiao using his Far East exhibition as a way to prepare for his controversial yet potential welterweight title shot.