Manny Pacquiao to fight Ruslan Provodnikov in April

Pacquiao vs Provodnikov will be an exhibition

Manny Pacquiao (62-8-3) is set to take on Ruslan Provodnikov (25-5, 18 KO’s) in a ten-round exhibition scheduled for April 18.

Set for Las Vegas, the bout will see Pacquiao take to the ring for a second time after returning from his four-year boxing hiatus.

Pacquiao’s last outing saw him fail to reclaim world honours, facing a majority-decision draw against Mario Barrios.

A win for ‘Pac Man’ would have seen him crowned the oldest welterweight champion in history – breaking his own record in the process, and claiming the WBC world title.

His opponent, Provodnikov, is a former junior welterweight world champion. Despite being an exhibition, their clash will by no means be an easy outing for the Filipino fighting legend.

Speaking ahead of the fight, Pacquiao gave his thanks to his fellow countrymen and women for continuing to support him.

“I carry the Philippines with me every time I fight. The support from my country and from fans around the world continues to inspire me," The 47-year-old said in a statement.

"Returning to Las Vegas means so much to me, and I'm ‌excited to work with a team focused on creating a world-class experience for the fans.

"I'm coming ‌back to give them a great fight - and I'm ready.”