Manny Pacquiao turns back the clock again in Las Vegas showdown with Ruslan Provodnikov

Manny Pacquiao is not chasing belts this time.

He’s chasing the ring itself.

Two months from now, the 47-year-old boxing icon will once again lace up his gloves at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, stepping into a 10-round exhibition against former world light-welterweight champion Ruslan Provodnikov. For most legends, retirement signals closure. For Pacquiao, it has become a revolving door.

This bout comes after his ambitious attempt last year to reclaim championship glory ended in a draw against WBC welterweight titleholder Mario Barrios at the MGM Grand Arena. That comeback bid carried history on its shoulders — Pacquiao was aiming to reset his own record as the oldest welterweight champion in history. It didn’t materialize.

But the hunger clearly hasn’t faded.

Across the ring will be a familiar name from boxing’s recent past. Now 42, Provodnikov is also resurfacing after a decade away from the sport. The Russian brawler hasn’t fought since a unanimous decision loss to John Molina Jr. in New York 10 years ago. Known for relentless pressure and thudding power, Provodnikov built a 25-5 record with 18 knockouts during a career defined by wars inside the ropes.

He briefly held the WBO light-welterweight crown in 2013, stopping Mike Alvarado in the 10th round in Colorado. His reign was short-lived, losing the belt in a controversial split decision to Chris Algieri in 2014. Earlier that same year, he had pushed Tim Bradley to the brink in a brutal bout that earned Fight of the Year honors.

In many ways, their careers have long intersected.

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BREAKING On April 18, Manny Pacquiao takes on Ruslan Provodnikov in a 10-round welterweight exhibition bout at Las Vegas’ Thomas & Mack Center. pic.twitter.com/mHKKOvNNNj

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) February 18, 2026

Provodnikov once trained under Hall of Fame coach Freddie Roach and was even a stablemate of Pacquiao under MP Promotions. Pacquiao himself faced both Bradley and Algieri during his prime years — dominating Algieri with six knockdowns in Macau and winning two of three bouts against Bradley, including his final official professional fight in 2016.

Now, the two veterans meet not for titles, but for legacy, spectacle, and perhaps personal fulfillment.

Pacquiao’s résumé remains untouched in its uniqueness: 62 wins, eight losses, 39 knockouts, and the distinction of being boxing’s only eight-division world champion. Since retiring, he has dipped in and out of the sport through exhibition matches — first against Korean martial artist DK Yoo in 2022, then versus Japanese kickboxing champion Rukiya Anpo in 2024.

Those exhibitions took him to Korea and Japan.

This time, he returns to Las Vegas — the city that helped define his legend.

There will be no championship at stake. No sanctioning body rankings on the line. But when Pacquiao walks toward the ring once more, the moment will carry its own gravity.

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