by Nick Giongco
While waiting for the confirmation of his next fight, Manny Pacquiao will be trying his hand at mixed martial arts.
But not as a practitioner but a fan.
On April 21, Pacquiao is going to be at ringside to watch a Filipino fighter battle Japanese Tenshin Nasukawa at the Yokohama Arena.
Pacquiao’s attendance was formally signed over the weekend after meeting Nobuyuki Sakakibara, head of RIZIN, the same outfit that staged Floyd Mayweather’s New Year’s Eve 2018 match with Nasukawa before 30,000 fans at the Saitama Super Arena.
Sakakibara is on his way back to Japan where he promised to provide more details about RIZIN’s deal with the 40-year-old Pacquiao, who holds the World Boxing Association welterweight champion.
“The senator will be there to cheer for the Filipino MMA fighter,” said lawyer Tom Falgui, who reviewed the contract.
Pacquiao beat up Adrien Broner last January in Las Vegas and is eyeing a ring return on July 13.
The fighters being looked at are Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia.
In the meantime, while Al Haymon is still working on Pacquiao’s next fight, he is eager to test the MMA waters.
Here’s a message to Pacquiao: Break a leg (no pun intended).
