Boxing

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

Published

5 months ago

April 20, 2026

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.

Boxing

Don King Removes WBC Belt from Mikaelian-Opetaia Fight: What It Means for Boxing

Published

1 hour ago

September 12, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

"Don King Removes WBC Belt from Mikaelian-Opetaia Fight: What It Means for Boxing"

By Boxing News 24 Desk – 09/11/2026 – Comments

Jai Opetaia may defeat WBC cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelian on Saturday night without being allowed to claim his title. What was presented as a unification fight could now proceed with only Opetaia’s Ring Magazine and Zuffa Boxing belts available.

“Don King reports that the WBC cruiserweight title will not be on the line in the Mikaelian vs. Opetaia fight this Saturday. Let’s wait for what the organization officially says,” Rodriguez on X.

Opetaia and Mikaelian are scheduled to meet in the co-feature of the Ryan Garcia–Conor Benn card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Removing the WBC title would take much of the historical value from the matchup. Opetaia can establish himself as the better fighter and beat the reigning WBC champion, yet leave the arena no closer to becoming undisputed. That is a poor result for a cruiserweight division already divided among several champions.

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The WBC had ordered Mikaelian to face WBA and WBO champion David Benavidez. Mikaelian instead accepted the Opetaia fight after a deal with Benavidez was not completed, placing his title status in danger.

King has also sent a cease-and-desist letter to Zuffa Boxing and TKO Group Holdings. His promotional company claims it holds an exclusive agreement with Mikaelian and did not authorize the Opetaia fight. Hehas already lost the IBF title without being defeated in the ring after the organization refused to sanction his fight with Brandon Glanton. The Australian may now be denied an opportunity to win the WBC belt for similar reasons involving sanctioning rules and promotional control.

Nothing changes about the difficulty of Saturday’s fight. Mikaelian remains a capable, experienced cruiserweight who defeated Badou Jack in their December rematch. The difference is that Opetaia may receive considerably less for beating him.

Until the WBC releases an official ruling, Mikaelian remains its cruiserweight champion. If King’s information is accurate, however, the fight has gone from a meaningful unification to another example of boxing preventing its leading cruiserweights from settling the division inside the ring.

BoxingNews24.com has delivered independent boxing coverage since 2007, including original news, fight analysis, schedules, and results. Our experienced boxing writers cover major fighters and events worldwide, with published content reviewed by editors for accuracy, clarity, and reliable sourcing.

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Last Updated on 2026/09/12 at 4:11 AM

Boxing

Dana White Aims to Build UFC Future Around Conor Benns Rising Star Power

Published

1 hour ago

September 12, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

"Dana White Aims to Build UFC Future Around Conor Benn's Rising Star Power"

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Now Benn has returned to 147 pounds after four years away from the division and received an undeserved WBC title shot against Ryan Garcia. White nevertheless sees qualities in the British challenger that go far beyond Saturday night.

“Tell me something in the history of the world where trillions of dollars in revenue have been generated, yet at the end of the day there’s nothing there? That’s been boxing,” White told DAZN Boxing. “Now I’m going to turn boxing into a business. And when you create a business or build a business or invest in a business, you have to have people that you can invest in. Who can you build a business around? Everything that I have seen from Conor Benn, he’s a guy you can build a business around. Disciplined, hardworking, gets the business side and the boxing side. Works hard on both ends. He’s one of the most unique fighters I’ve ever met.”

Discipline and professionalism make Benn easier to promote, but neither quality tells us how he beats the best fighters. A boxing business eventually needs victories that hold up under scrutiny. Benn’s record does not provide many of those.

His plan is to move to 160 pounds after facing Ryan. That division offers even fewer safe places to hide. Benn might have a chance against an arguably weaker champion such as Aaron McKenna. Put him in with Carlos Adames, Yoenli Hernandez or even 43-year-old Erislandy Lara, and the outcome probably won’t be pleasant.

The sensible business strategy would be to avoid those matchups. Zuffa can direct him toward vulnerable titleholders, vacant belts, and secondary sanctioning body hardware.

A third Eubank fight is almost a given if Zuffa wants a profitable matchup Benn can win without being exposed. Eubank is 36, nearing 37 and far removed from his best years. The rivalry already sells in Britain, while Eubank offers less danger than Adames, Hernandez or Lara. It is exactly the kind of recycled grudge match that can produce revenue while keeping Benn away from the strongest middleweights.

That approach would make Benn a useful house fighter. He trains hard, handles promotional duties, and gives White the cooperation required to keep Zuffa’s brand at the front of the production. Those traits may be more valuable to a promoter than the ability to defeat every elite opponent.

Careful opponent selection can also create entertaining matchups by pairing Benn with aggressive fighters who lack the skill or durability to punish his defensive flaws. The fights would look dangerous to casual viewers while remaining manageable for Benn. Modern boxing offers plenty of ways to market someone as a champion without requiring him to beat the strongest fighter in the division.

British fans may continue watching in large numbers because Benn has a famous surname and knows how to sell a grudge. American viewers couldn’t care less that his father is Nigel Benn. Most younger fans in the United States have no idea who Nigel is. He fought in another era, primarily in Britain, long before DAZN made British boxing easily available to an American audience.

Benn can become a commercial attraction with protective matchmaking. White is talking as if he has found a transformational star. The distinction is enormous.

Boxing

Terence Crawford Claims Everyone Waited for His Retirement to Acknowledge His Greatness

Published

9 hours ago

September 11, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

"Terence Crawford Claims Everyone Waited for His Retirement to Acknowledge His Greatness"

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“Before I retired, there wasn’t too many people jumping and calling for Terence Crawford. Now that I’m retired, everybody calling out your boy,” Crawford said to Nightcap. “It’s the payday and opportunity. They look at it and say, ‘Okay, we’re going to get the highest check of our career. This dude is about to be 39. He probably slowed down a step or two, and maybe this is the right time.’”

His reading of the belated Crawford chase is fair. Jaron “Boots” Ennis wants him, Ryan Garcia has taken shots at his record, and Dana White has talked about finding the right fight to pull him back. He has become far more popular as a target since announcing he is finished.

The risk has changed as well. Calling out an active Crawford meant eventually having to fight him. Challenging him now gives a boxer publicity without requiring him to follow through unless an enormous financial package materializes.

Age is clearly part of the attraction. A younger opponent can collect a career-high purse while hoping that time has removed enough of the speed, reflexes, and stamina that made Crawford so difficult. If the challenger loses, he was beaten by an all-time great. If he wins, Crawford’s name becomes the foundation of his career.

An Ennis fight would therefore need to offer Crawford much more than another name on his record. He already walked away after winning titles in five divisions and becoming undisputed in three. Beating Ennis would generate money, but the reaction would quickly turn into claims that Crawford was always supposed to win.

He also insisted that he is enjoying retirement and does not miss competing inside the ring.

“I’ve been enjoying the hell out of it. I don’t have to worry about anything. All I have to do is enjoy life, travel the world, and be a fan. In the ring, no, not really. I did everything. When I walked away, I was a five-division champion and three-division undisputed. You can’t do it any better than how I did it.”

The challenges may continue because Crawford remains the biggest available payday from 147 through 160. That does not mean any of those fighters wanted the same test before his departure made it safer to ask.