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Ruslan Provodnikov breaks silence as 48-hour chaos threatens Pacquiao fight

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Rulan Provodnikov pacquiao fight

Ruslan Provodnikov is ready to fight Manny Pacquiao, but a few days after the fight ended, just 48 hours before the evening’s fight, he told World Boxing News that he was still waiting to find out if it would even happen.

At this rate, the fight could become another Pacquiao event that will never fully come to fruition.

The former world champion admitted that the delay from the original date of April 18 is disappointing, but insisted that he thinks the exhibition will be postponed until June.

Provodnikov described the opportunity to face Pacquiao as something he never expected, saying he was “extremely cheerful” when he first heard about the fight.

“It’s disappointing that the fight won’t take place in April, but I hope it will happen in June. I really hope so and I believe in it,” he told WBN exclusively.

Contrary to this belief, no binding June date has been given.

I’m still waiting

The development follows a confused week of fights in which the fight was stopped just 48 hours before the scheduled date, leaving fans having to adjust travel plans after days of silence on whether the event would even take place.

Nothing has improved in this situation.

World Boxing News has repeatedly tried to get answers, but there are still mixed signals as to whether the fight will even happen. Pacquiao remained hushed throughout, while Provodnikov’s team previously admitted to WBN that they also had no information.

There is little sign of unified direction behind the scenes, as the situation remains as unresolved now as it was before the April date dropped.

The pattern stretches over weeks, with the fight already in doubt early in the build-up before a postponement was finally confirmed on April 16.

Ready to go

Provodnikov says that everything is in place on his side.

“We have prepared everything. As soon as they give us the go-ahead, I will pack my bag and be ready to fly to America with my team,” he added.

This leaves a clear imbalance – one fighter is ready and the other has not yet provided an exact schedule.

Last chance

As for his career, Provodnikov made it clear to WBN that this is not a comeback.

“My career is already behind me. I moved on to other things, other work, and today I focus on my family,” he said.

“Boxing is a thing of the past. Maybe exhibition fights – just to go out and entertain people – but to seriously come back and restart your career, no. Everything has its time.”

With Provodnikov ruling out a full return, a fight with Pacquiao seems like a infrequent opportunity – one that still doesn’t have a confirmed date.

The looming possibility of a second fight between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather further complicates the situation. Given the significant money associated with the Netflix event, the risk of any competitor sustaining unnecessary injuries during the previous exhibition becomes a earnest factor.

Despite Provodnikov’s enthusiasm, it’s becoming increasingly arduous to ignore the possibility that the fight may not happen at all.

If this fight continues, everything previously planned could quickly become irrelevant.

For now, Provodnikov has spoken, but the situation still hasn’t happened.


About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.

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Boxing

Osleys Churches Respond to Charles Adames Combat Claims

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Image: Osleys Iglesias fires back after Carlos Adames says “I’m ready”

Carlos Adames said he can beat anyone at middleweight and super middleweight, but the statement was met with immediate backlash from newly crowned IBF super middleweight champion Osleys Iglesias. After Adames announced he was ready to fight, the undefeated Cuban responded on social media, calling for the fight to go ahead.

The exchange began when Carlos Adames stated that no one at 160 or 168 pounds could beat him. The fan quickly challenged him to fight Iglesias, one of the most hazardous names in the super middleweight division.


“Who are you? What I do in the ring confirms what I say here. Whenever you want, I’m ready to prove it to you,” Adames said in X.

That was met with a direct response from Iglesias (15-0, 14 KO), who is coming off an eighth-round victory over Pavel Silyagin and gained traction at 168 pounds after winning the IBF title.

“Enough talking. Let’s get on the same page and take the fight to the next level. I’m waiting for your call. My team is ready. I’m waiting for you,” said Osleys Iglesias.

Adames holds the middleweight title while Iglesias is one division above, so any fight would require one side to advance. This alone makes it more sedate than a routine online argument.

This exchange with Iglesias bears all the hallmarks of a potential bluff by Adames. Iglesias is now viewed by many as the 168-pound boss who stopped Pavel Silyagin in the eighth round just two weeks ago.

He’s a powerful southpaw with a 93% knockout rate, which isn’t usually the type of guy a champion fights unless he’s 100% sedate or looking for a huge payday.

Fans will soon find out if this was Adames’ social media stunt if he starts demanding a catchweight fight with Iglesias or tells him to drop down to 160 pounds. If he tells IBF 168-pound champion Iglesias to back off, he will simply be looking for a way out. It will be a foregone conclusion if he stays on X and does not lead to official negotiations between Adames’ promoters at PBC and Iglesias’ team.

The southpaw Iglesias is essentially a airy heavyweight who can reach 168 pounds and would also have significant height and an advantage over Adames. If Adames is sedate, he’s taking one of the toughest routes possible to make a super middleweight debut.

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Last updated: 23/04/2026 at 10:29

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Ryan Garcia Says He Only Wants to Fight One Man Next: ‘I Don’t Want Anyone Else’

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Ryan Garcia says he only wants to face one man next: “I don’t want anybody else”

Ryan Garcia has been linked with a number of opponents for his next appearance, but he insists he is only targeting one fighter.

After many years as one of the biggest names in the sport, Garcia finally became world champion in February posted a dominant unanimous decision victory over Mario Barrios at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, where he won the WBC welterweight title.

Since that victory, rumors have circulated that “King Ry” would return against several different opponents, including WBO champion Devin Haney, WBA champion Rolly Romero and two-division world champion Teofimo Lopez.

For one reason or another, all of these fights fell through, and in recent weeks a recent favorite has emerged to fight Garcia, after British star Conor Benn defeated Regis Prograis at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this month.

Following the victory, Benn immediately called out “King Ry” for a world title match, and Garcia was quick to respond as a war of words began between the two fighters.

In the recent movie captured by Fight Hub TVGarcia has now ruled out fighting anyone else and says Benn is the only person he wants to face.

“I can’t wait, man. It’ll be August. [I don’t want] Nobody [else]. I just want Conor.”

Benn is ranked No. 1 in the WBC welterweight rankings, so a clash with “King Ry” seemed like a formality, although Garcia’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, revealed a potential obstacle to that fight.

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Boxing

Prince Naseem Hamed denies 70% doping claims

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Image: Naseem Hamed reacts to claim 70% of boxers are doping

While talking about failed drug tests in boxing, host Simon Jordan cited an earlier estimate by panelist Spencer Oliver, who suggested the number could be as high as 70 percent. Hamed immediately disputed this statement.

“That’s a tough statement,” Hamed told talksport Boxing when the number was repeated during the episode.

“The same applies to me personally. Don’t take it personally. It’s like destroying the players, 70% of them,” Hamed said.

It was vintage “Naz” stuff, seeing him come out waving to players like that. He has always been devoted to the craft and clearly sees the 70% result as a slap in the face to the guys who live neat and do grueling work.

Oliver responded that this was his opinion based on repeated failed tests and suspicions surrounding the sport, not evidence against specific names. Hamed was not convinced and said that charges should only be brought when the militant was actually caught.

“You can’t accuse any single person unless he or she has been caught,” Hamed said.

Hamed’s point about “destroying” warriors is the most compelling part of his argument. When someone like Spencer Oliver comes up with a huge number, like 70%, it creates a lasting cloud of suspicion.

This means that even if a player delivers a legendary, career-defining performance, the first thing some fans will do is look for a reason to discredit him. For a legend like Hamed, this is an insult to the discipline required in this sport.

Hamed is the guy who shows me the bills. By insisting that no one can be charged until they are caught, he seeks to maintain some level of due process. In his eyes, if you have failed the VADA or UKAD exam, you are a pure athlete. Period.

What’s captivating is that Hamed doesn’t take it lightly. While supporting strict accountability policies, he says people should not be labeled as fraudsters without evidence. If the test comes back positive, you own it, regardless of tainted meat or supplement excuses.

This is an truthful position. He wants to protect the reputation of good actors in sports while making sure the hammer continues to fall on anyone caught breaking the rules.

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