Manny Pacquiao is on the comeback trail once more but has been accused of dodging a former two-weight world champion.

Pacquiao is 47 years of age and has not fought since July 2025, when he secured a draw with WBC ruler Mario Barrios. Before that he had been out of the ring since August 2021 when he lost a WBA welterweight contest with Yordenis Ugás.

He is a veteran of 73 fights with eight losses on his record and is a former eight-weight world champion who is finding it hard to leave the sport behind.

He had been linked with a fight with Shakur Stevenson and Paddy Donovan and then Joe Cordina on the undercard of Anthony Joshua versus Tyson Fury in December, but that has now been confirmed as not happening.

Speaking to Ariel Helwani, Paulie Malignaggi said he would be up for the fight with ‘Pacman’ but that the Filipino has so far swerved the possibility.

“Pacquiao comes back and he’s looking to fight anybody but me right now. This guy’s 100 years old. He’s looking to fight anybody but me. Now he’s fighting a guy 20 pounds smaller than him just so he can fight.

“I put my name out there. I’ve been active. He doesn’t even mention my name. He knows what I said about him, and he knows I’m right. They don’t want that spewed out in that promotion, so they don’t bring it up.”

It is now most likely that Pacquiao, if he does return, will do so in 2027 despite turning 48 in mid-December.