MANNY PACQUIAO RETURNS TODAY FOR AN EXHIBITION
By Robert Brizel, Real Combat Media Head Boxing Correspondent
Seoul, South Korea (December 10th, 2022)– Southpaw Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao, 62-8-2 with 39 knockouts, General Santos Sur, Philippines, age 43, a former eight-division world champion, 16 months retired since losing a decision to Yordnies Ugas in August 2021, will fight an exhibition on Sunday, December 11, 2022, against South Korean middleweight Southpaw MMA fighter and YouTuber DK Yoo, also age 43, of Seoul, South, Korea.
Not much is known about Koo, except on December 7, 2021, a year ago, Koo fought a six round exhibition with veteran MMA contender Bradley ‘Bear’ Scott. Yoo is rumored to know 15 martial arts styles, including Tia Chi and Wing Chun. Yoo will be the biggest opponent Pacquiao, a flyweight turned welterweight, has ever faced. This exhibition will be Pacquiao’s first at middleweight.
The Triller Fight Club pay-per-view exhibition on FITE TV, number of rounds uncertain, will be entirely for two charities. The Pacquiao Foundation, which has already built 300 homes in three areas for Filipinos, is building another 80 homes with assistance from the proceeds from Sunday’s Pacquiao versus Koo exhibition. Proceeds from the exhibition will also go to assist Ukrainian families in need.
Pacquiao told Insider in a new interview “Eighty additional homes are already under construction. Families in need will benefit from this event,” he said. “If there is more money raised, we can add more [homes] as the construction (by my foundation for the poor) is still ongoing. I’m excited to get back into the ring after more than a year. D.K. Yoo is taller than me, bigger than me, and I cannot take him lightly. Boxing in mixed martial arts is different. It depends on the particular fighter but he knows how to punch also, he knows what is boxing. I have to make sure that this exhibition will give (be) a good fight, with good action, to make people happy. This is a charity event and we can help other people. Proceeds will be donated to (Ukrainian) families who are affected by the war (in Ukraine against Russia), and also to give (build) shelter for the homeless in the Philippines. This (comeback exhibition bout) is purely for charity.” Pacquiao said he would still try his best to finish Yoo by knockout. A future hall of fame candidate, Pacquiao’s comeback intent appears sincere, his conditioning sharp, and he does not seem to have Terence Crawford or Errol Spence Jr. on his radar. Post-Pandemic, who knows. Pacquiao is a famous name at 147 pounds or less. This exhibition is at 160 pounds,where a beefy bulked up Pacquiao is going to be far less effective, but should still win the exhibition decision.
Full Card for Manny Pacquiao vs. DK Yoo
Main event: Manny Pacquiao vs. DK Yoo, Middleweight
Jose Luis Castillo vs. Min Guk Ju
Min Wook Kim vs. Marcus Davidson
Abel Mendoza vs. Cristian Ruben Mino
Nico Hernandez vs. Jae Young Kim
Maurice Lee vs. Shin Yong Kim
Marcell Davidson vs. Yoon Bin Han
Sean Garcia vs. Seung Ho Yang
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