Exhibition : Pacquiao vs Provodnikov, April 18, Las Vegas

[aioc]

Photo from facebook.com/powcastsports

Pacquiao's boxing career is still going on at 47. After failing to win the Welterweight title against Mario Barrios, he is now facing former Super Lightweight Ruslan Provodnikov.

They should have faced each other years ago, but a loss by Provodnikov to Algieri prevented it. Both are known sluggers who never back down and love to mix it up; this will be an action-packed matchup, even though it's an exhibition.

So mark the date, hopefully they can strike a deal with Netflix so many can watch it publicly.

After falling short in a title bid against Mario Barrios and failing to secure another one against Rolly Romero, Manny Pacquiao is back on the exhibition circuit, taking on former super lightweight champ Ruslan Provodnikov on April 18th in Las Vegas.

Manny Pacquiao vs Ruslan Provodnikov exhibition set for April 18th

[FinneysTrueVision]

I don’t expect Provodnikov to be at his best after being retired for many years, but I still think it is a risky fight for Pacquiao. If the fight turns out to be tougher than expected, it puts in jeopardy those higher profile matchups against Mayweather or Ryan Garcia that have been rumored.

Maybe it won’t be as good as when they were in their prime but these fighters still have the style to put on a good event. Provodnikov is durable and is like a raging bull. He should be a good opponent for Pacquiao to remain active, while he waits for bigger fights to be made.

[Mr. Magkaisa]

Pacquiao's boxing career is still going on at 47. After failing to win the Welterweight title against Mario Barrios, he is now facing former Super Lightweight Ruslan Provodnikov.

They should have faced each other years ago, but a loss by Provodnikov to Algieri prevented it. Both are known sluggers who never back down and love to mix it up; this will be an action-packed matchup, even though it's an exhibition.

So mark the date, hopefully they can strike a deal with Netflix so many can watch it publicly.

IF Provodnikov will show the same as before and will never back down, then we will see a very good match. 2 warriors to fight in the right with all in.
I was expecting a match like that with MP vs The late Hatton but the match ended so early. I wish we can see this one as brutal of 2 fighters.
But, still not  very good as this is an exhibition match, I thought PacMan will push everyhting to get another belt before he put the last period in history of his boxing.

[joeperry]

This is an interesting match, there's a user who opened up a new topic about this too and asked why they never fight in their prime, the answer is they have the same coach and if I am not mistaken coach Freddie Roach don't want both of his boxers to fight for a reason that he will choose which one he's going to train or choose one corner which really makes sense. Now both fighter were no longer in their prime but still, they are both great fighters but Pacquiao is still hungry for a win, he managed to have a draw with on his last professional match against Mario Barrios which is a world champion while Provodnikov's last match were in 2016, though it's nice to see both fighters with similar game style to watch, both of them are aggressive fighters and high volume punchers, will there be a knock out?

[rbynxx]

They should have faced each other years ago, but a loss by Provodnikov to Algieri prevented it. Both are known sluggers who never back down and love to mix it up; this will be an action-packed matchup, even though it's an exhibition.

So mark the date, hopefully they can strike a deal with Netflix so many can watch it publicly.

This is an exciting match to watch again with Pacquiao considering he really gives it all in his fights and never knew this Russian fighter but saw some highlights on red app and he's a great fighter too as I suppose it. I guess they can make a deal on that one considering they'll be featuring the "Fighter of the Century" and it's probably a waste opportunity for them if they'll not take it. This might be his final fight and that's huge if Netflix feature it.

This is an interesting match, there's a user who opened up a new topic about this too and asked why they never fight in their prime, the answer is they have the same coach and if I am not mistaken coach Freddie Roach don't want both of his boxers to fight for a reason that he will choose which one he's going to train or choose one corner which really makes sense. L

That's a bum to coach the best fighters and they never got the chance to fight in their primes. Saw that Provodnikov parted ways with Roach until late 2015 and I think they've got that chance to bout with each other. It should have been a great fight other than runner Mayweather.

[Dave1]

His name sounds familiar. So I check his boxing record and it seems that he has a decent resume but he has retired 10 years ago. So that's ring rust for a decade and maybe he is out of shape. But perhaps Manny's team have a lot of what if for them. They could have fought them when they are active.

Ruslan fought Bradley who beat Pacquaio in their first match and then Manny take a revenge win in the second fight. Good point by @joeperry though, under the great training Roach, they might not have face each other but they could have brush aside by having sparring sessions before.

[robelneo]

Maybe it won’t be as good as when they were in their prime but these fighters still have the style to put on a good event. Provodnikov is durable and is like a raging bull. He should be a good opponent for Pacquiao to remain active, while he waits for bigger fights to be made.

Pacquiao still has it. I don't know if Provodnikov is in a condition that matches Pacquiao's competitiveness. We have seen Pacquiao's performance against Barrios, while we don't know about Provodnikov.
 
But this is an exhibition, so we don't expect either fighter to seriously injure the other. I still have Pacquiao winning by decision, but I don't rule out a knockout. He's still the Pacquiao we knew ten years ago: fast, agile, and with power on both hands.

[Russlenat]

This might be just an exhibition fight, but I like the boxer that Manny chose, because he’s not a boring fighter. So I’m sure we’ll still see an entertaining match. I’m hoping from the start there will already be action, so people will really be satisfied watching.

This is also another big money fight for Manny Pacquiao. Since his fight with a champion didn’t push through, this is still a good tune-up for him.

By the way, are there any betting odds for this already?

[Cointxz]

I like this matchup since both fighter have same style that wants a an inside fight unlike current boxing that is more on accumulating points and less K.O priority.

Barrera is one the best fighter that match Pacquiao before. But this  match might be something good since they are both on their retirement which means skills shouldn’t have any discrepancies due to age factor.

I’mll put my money to Pacman.

[Shinpako09]

I’ve watched Manny Pacquiao’s previous fight, and this time I won’t say the usual things about his age or even doubt him. He performed well against the younger Mario Barrios, even at his age. He may have lost some of his speed and KO power, and it’s risky at his age, but he still has it. Provodnikov’s last ring appearance was almost 10 years ago, so Pacquiao has the advantage in that aspect. It’s either Pacquiao wins by scorecard or by KO, a draw is less likely.

[Yaunfitda]

I like this matchup since both fighter have same style that wants a an inside fight unlike current boxing that is more on accumulating points and less K.O priority.

Yes, that's why this kind of fighters retire early because of the war that they have been. I can compare Ruslan to Australian brawler, Michael Katsidis (not sure if others will remember him.

Barrera is one the best fighter that match Pacquiao before. But this  match might be something good since they are both on their retirement which means skills shouldn’t have any discrepancies due to age factor.

I’mll put my money to Pacman.

Barrera never won against Pacquiao and it's not even competitive. Pacquaio fought a lot of great fighters in his prime, like Morales, Marquez and Cotto. But Ruslan was not a priority on his list during that time. As others said, same trainer and we all know that Manny is friendly to all his stable mates and sparring partners that's why we didn't see this great match during their primes. But it's not too late as now they are scheduled to fight in exhibitions. But I think the respect will still be there for this two fighters. Here is a great highlight to watch, Provodnikov vs Alvarado,

[bakasabo]

I would say that his is quite a strange match-up. If the name Pacquiao is familiar to many, then Provodnikov maybe unknown for young generation, or not even a big boxing star at all (or did not manage to get big popularity to be remembered today). It would much better if they have met while they were much younger. People would go watch on Pacquiao with giving questions who his opponent is.

Pacquiao must be in need of money if he does profession and exhibition boxing so often. I remember he had professional fight recently, exhibition boxing fight against youtube phenomenon DK Yoo, a fight against kickboxer under boxing rules. He should better someone like Jake Paul to make big money.

[Taskford]

I would say that his is quite a strange match-up. If the name Pacquiao is familiar to many, then Provodnikov maybe unknown for young generation, or not even a big boxing star at all (or did not manage to get big popularity to be remembered today). It would much better if they have met while they were much younger. People would go watch on Pacquiao with giving questions who his opponent is.

Its really weird match up on first glance, but when I tried to search about their history it shows that Provodnikov had a connection with Pacquiao since they are sparmate.

Now, Pacquiao’s opponent of choice, Provodnikov, is an interesting one, as the former WBO junior welterweight champion has served as Pacquiao’s sparring partner.

More about that info here https://www.philstar.com/sports/2026/02/18/2508845/pacquiao-faces-ex-world-champion-sparmate-vegas-exhibition

So it seems we all know what will be the result of this fight. Hopefully this is not another scripted fight.

[mirakal]

So it seems we all know what will be the result of this fight. Hopefully this is not another scripted fight.

We can’t ignore that possibility. In the end, it’s still up to us if we watch it or not. After all, this is just an exhibition fight, it’s not fully guided by real pro boxing rules. They can even make it look scripted and it’s not really illegal.

Both fighters won’t get badly hurt, both will make money, and some fans will still watch, so it’s good for them. That’s also the benefit of being an 8-division champ like Manny Pacquiao, he can easily make money even in exhibition fights.

[serjent05]

I think this will be an entertaining match. Those who love boxer exchanging blows toe to toe will surely need not miss this match eventhough this is only an exhibition match.  Although both are way past their prime, Pacquiao being older by 5 or 6 years, (Paquiao being an aggressive technical boxer and  Provodnikov a brawler) looking at the style of these two boxers will surely give the audience the entertainment they deserve. I believe we will be seeing two bulls charging against each other without anyone backing out or running away from the opponent (like Mayweather Jr. do)

Pacquiao must be in need of money if he does profession and exhibition boxing so often. I remember he had professional fight recently, exhibition boxing fight against youtube phenomenon DK Yoo, a fight against kickboxer under boxing rules. He should better someone like Jake Paul to make big money.

Why is it always an issue about money when Manny has an exhibition match?  I think Manny is just passionate about boxing and wanted to do things that he like just like any other people will do?

[Slow death]

Well, the fans of these two fighters will pay to see them fight even if the fight isn't on the same level as professional title fights. I see that for people, the most important thing isn't the violence (in the sense of both fighters taking the fight very seriously) itself during the fight, but rather watching their favorite fighters fight. Something strange about these exhibition fights is how very old fighters can endure many rounds against very young boxers. For example, in this case, we're talking about a 30-year-old boxer against a 47-year-old.

[freedomgo]

. For example, in this case, we're talking about a 30-year-old boxer against a 47-year-old.

Ruslan Provodnikov is not 30 anymore, he’s already 42. Still younger than Manny Pacquiao, but at this age, both are already past their prime on paper. Still, with Pacman, you really can’t doubt him anymore. He’s already 47, but for him, age feels like just a number.

Have you seen his last fight against Mario Barrios. It was a championship fight and it ended in a draw, even though some people were saying he couldn’t keep up anymore. But he still proved he can compete. Old man or not, Pacman is still different.

[Sithara007]

I don’t expect Provodnikov to be at his best after being retired for many years, but I still think it is a risky fight for Pacquiao. If the fight turns out to be tougher than expected, it puts in jeopardy those higher profile matchups against Mayweather or Ryan Garcia that have been rumored.
✂✂✂✂

LOL.. you have no idea about Ruslan Provodnikov.

During his prime, he has lost to boxers such as Chris Algieri, Timothy Bradley and Lucas Matthysse. But never underestimate him. Although he is from Russia and still holds the Russian citizenship, he is not ethnic Russian. Ethnically he is Vogul (an ethnic group that inhabits the remote Siberian taiga). His favorite food is raw moose liver and raw fish. If you believe that such an individual is not competitive after retiring, then you are wrong. On the other hand, I am not sure how fit Pacquiao is. He is mostly focusing on politics, with a few exhibition matches here and there.

[bakasabo]

Pacquiao must be in need of money if he does profession and exhibition boxing so often. I remember he had professional fight recently, exhibition boxing fight against youtube phenomenon DK Yoo, a fight against kickboxer under boxing rules. He should better someone like Jake Paul to make big money.

Why is it always an issue about money when Manny has an exhibition match?  I think Manny is just passionate about boxing and wanted to do things that he like just like any other people will do?

If a person is passionate about boxing that much, why not stop at having regular training and sparring? Why make it public and run an event? If there is a huge spirit of competition, why not find it in other, less harmful sport? He has been playing basketball on higher than amateur level. Or become a coach if you love boxing so much. Another strange thing, Pacquiao finds very strange opponents for exhibition fights.

[cryptomaniac_xxx]

. For example, in this case, we're talking about a 30-year-old boxer against a 47-year-old.

Ruslan Provodnikov is not 30 anymore, he’s already 42. Still younger than Manny Pacquiao, but at this age, both are already past their prime on paper. Still, with Pacman, you really can’t doubt him anymore. He’s already 47, but for him, age feels like just a number.

Have you seen his last fight against Mario Barrios. It was a championship fight and it ended in a draw, even though some people were saying he couldn’t keep up anymore. But he still proved he can compete. Old man or not, Pacman is still different.

It's just sad to see that Manny will fight again but not for the belt. I was hoping that he can push for another championship and we thought that it will be against Rolly Romero. Nevertheless, he needs to be active so maybe a fight against his former sparring partner is not that bad.

And if he wins there, then maybe a high profile fight could happen as there are rumors of him and Floyd fight (as they say that Floyd needed money), or maybe the young Ryan Garcia who I may say is obsessed with fighting the legend (perhaps it was a sweepstakes to fight Manny).

So let's see, fans reaction might be divided here. Voted for Manny to win by decision as I don't think that he can knockout a tough fighter like Ruslan even if he is not active.