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Andreas Hale
Multiple Authors
Manny Pacquiao has not yet finalized an exhibition fight ahead of his highly anticipated Sept. 19 rematch against Floyd Mayweather, Jas Mathur, CEO of Manny Pacquiao Promotions, told ESPN on Tuesday.
Banner Promotions, which promotes retired former junior welterweight champion Ruslan Provodnikov, announced in a press release last week that Pacquiao would make his return to the ring April 18 to face Provodnikov in a 10-round exhibition at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Mathur confirmed the exhibition fight with Provodnikov was under consideration, but he told ESPN that it was “not official” despite the fact tickets for the event are being sold on Pacquiao’s website.
“It’s not official or else you would’ve seen a lot more announced by Manny directly on that,” Mathur told ESPN. “I would’ve also participated in that, and it is just not official.”
Mathur said it is also possible that Pacquiao doesn’t face Provodnikov at all ahead of the Mayweather fight. Provodnikov has not fought since 2016.
“Will there be another exhibition potentially for Manny before the Mayweather fight? Yes, there will,” Mathur said. “I can’t say if it’ll be that one or if it will be something else, but as of right now, that particular fight is not done.”
The Pacquiao-Mayweather rematch, which was announced Monday, will take place at the Sphere in Las Vegas and will be streamed globally on Netflix. While Pacquiao weighs his options over a potential bout before Sept. 19, Mayweather is set to face Mike Tyson in an exhibition this spring, though no date, venue or network has been announced for the fight.
Pacquiao last fought in July 2025, when he returned from a four-year retirement and battled then-WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios to a majority draw.