Manny Pacquiao planning to fight, in talks with Conor Benn

Manny Pacquiao, who announced his retirement in August 2021, plans to fight again, MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons told ESPN on Tuesday.

Pacquiao, who turned 44 in December, is engaged in talks for a welterweight fight against U.K. star Conor Benn, Gibbons said. That fight is being eyed for June 3 in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., sources said, though Benn is also considering two other opponents for his comeback bout: Kell Brook and Chris Eubank Jr.

Pacquiao, one of the greatest fighters of all time, said he was retired after he suffered a unanimous decision loss to Yordenis Ugas in a welterweight title defense. The bout was Pacquiao's first since a split-decision victory over Keith Thurman in a July 2019 title fight.

Pacquiao was set to fight Errol Spence Jr. in August 2021, but after Spence withdrew with a detached retina, Pacquiao was forced to adjust to a new opponent on 11 days' notice.

One month later, Pacquiao, who was then a sitting senator in the Philippines, announced he was running for president of his native country.

«He retired for a minute to run for President of the Philippines, where he took a respectful third place,» said Gibbons. «And after that he felt that his retirement was due to running for president, and now that [he wasn't elected], he wants to fight again and feels like he can do it at the highest level.

»Manny is an all-time great and he feels like he still has a lot of fight left in him and he still wants to compete at the highest level. And this fight [vs. Benn] was presented to him by [promoter] Eddie Hearn, and he agreed. Ball is in Eddie Hearn's court. Pacquiao ready to go."

Gibbons said the Pacquiao-Benn bout was first discussed in December, the same month Pacquiao returned to the ring for an