Ruslan Provodnikov is ready to fight Manny Pacquiao — but days after the bout fell through just 48 hours before fight night, he told World Boxing News he is still waiting to find out if it will happen at all.
At this rate, the fight risks becoming another Pacquiao event that never fully materializes.
The former world champion admitted the delay from its original April 18 date is disappointing, but insists he believes the exhibition will be rescheduled for June.
Provodnikov described the opportunity to face Pacquiao as something he never expected, saying he was “incredibly happy” when he first heard about the fight.
“It’s disappointing that the fight won’t take place in April, but I’m hopeful it will happen in June. I really hope so, and I believe it,” he exclusively told WBN.
Despite that belief, no firm date for June has been provided.
Still waiting
The situation follows a chaotic fight week that saw the bout pulled just 48 hours before the scheduled date, leaving fans scrambling to adjust travel plans after days of silence around whether the event was going ahead at all.
Nothing about the situation has improved.
World Boxing News has repeatedly attempted to obtain answers, but mixed signals remain over whether the clash will actually take place. Pacquiao has stayed largely silent throughout, while Provodnikov’s team had previously admitted to WBN that they were also in the dark.
There is little to suggest a unified direction behind the scenes, with the situation remaining as unresolved now as it was before the April date collapsed.
The pattern stretches back weeks, with the fight already in doubt earlier in the buildup, before the postponement was finally confirmed on April 16.
Ready to go
Provodnikov says that from his side, everything is already in place.
“We’ve prepared everything. As soon as they give the go-ahead, I’ll pack my bag and be ready to fly to America with my team,” he added.
That leaves a clear imbalance — one fighter ready, the other side yet to provide a firm timeline.
One last opportunity
When it comes to his career, Provodnikov made it clear to WBN that this is not a comeback.
“My career is already behind me. I’ve moved on to other things, other work, and today my focus is on my family,” he said.
“Boxing is in the past. Exhibition fights, maybe — just to go out and entertain people — but to seriously come back and restart my career, no. Everything has its time.”
With Provodnikov ruling out any full return, the Pacquiao fight stands as a rare opportunity — one that still lacks a confirmed date.
The looming possibility of a second fight between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather further complicates the situation. With significant money tied to that Netflix event, the risk of either fighter taking unnecessary damage in a prior exhibition becomes a serious factor.
Despite Provodnikov’s enthusiasm, it is becoming harder to ignore the possibility that the fight may never happen at all.
If that fight moves forward, anything scheduled beforehand could quickly become irrelevant.
For now, Provodnikov has spoken — but the situation still hasn’t.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a veteran boxing reporter with 15+ years of experience. He has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside since 2010. Read full bio.