Manny Pacquiao will pocket a huge bonus if his kickboxing opponent, Rukiya Anpo, breaks the rules in their forthcoming exhibition.
The stipulation was added to protect Pacquiao from kicks, similar to the rival Floyd Mayweather’s agreement for his RIZIN bouts against Tenshin Nasukawa and Mikuru Asakura.
Pacquiao faces Anpo on Sunday in Japan years after signing a deal with RIZIN boss Nobuyuki Sakakibara. The ‘Special Standing Rules’ fight occurs on the Super RIZIN 3 card, ironically topped by Asakura vs. Ren Hiramoto.
Putting his trust in Sakakibara to guide his exhibition career, Pacquiao only has praise for the promoter.
“Sakakibara-san is a trusted person. He helps many fighters, and we should always be thankful to [him] for promoting them,” said Pacquiao.
The Filipino superstar is already banking a healthy sum thanks to the Nobu, which is reportedly upwards of ten figures for the appearance. This payday would be even more significant if Anpo forgets he’s in a boxing match or gets frustrated. Anpo has height, weight, and reach advantages over Pacquiao, so the last thing the boxer needs is to defend leg advances along with punches.
Super RIZIN 3 represents a return for the first time in twenty months for the eight-weight world champion. He last fought when scoring a unanimous decision over combat YouTuber DK Yoo.
The 45-year-old was due in the ring last April against Buakaw Banchamek but called off the clash at the last minute. The intention was to reschedule the fight with Buakaw. However, the Muay Thai legend lost his previous fight and may have since missed the opportunity ever to share a ring with the boxing star.
Should Pacquiao lose against Anpo, a similar scenario opens up for the ex-Senator. Talks over a potential WBC welterweight title fight and a professional boxing comeback could then be dead in the water. As World Boxing News exclusively revealed, Pacquiao hopes to challenge Mario Barrios in the fall.
Furthermore, Sunday represents a significant night in the future career of the great Manny Pacquiao.
Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay. Learn more about the author, experienced boxing writer, and World Boxing News Editor since 2010. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
