Fans stay away as Manny Pacquiao return to the ring against a YouTube star fails.
Fans stay away as Manny Pacquiao return to the ring against a YouTube star fails. Last night, Manny Pacquiao returned to the call for an exhibition fight, but he could not draw a crowd that was even close to being sold out for his argument.
At the Korea International Exhibition Centre in Goyang, South Korea, the illustrious eight-division world champion squared off against well-known YouTube star and purported “martial arts expert” DK Yoo. But as the main event fighters made their ring walks during the broadcast, countless empty seats could be seen.
In the end, the exhibition was a lot of fun, with Pacquiao dropping DK Yoo several times as he went for the knockout late in the fight. There was no winner after six rounds of competition, thanks to the YouTube star’s miraculous ability to endure an assault at the end of the fifth.
After the fight, Pacquiao said, “It’s nice to be back in the ring for this charity exhibition match. “I’m going to keep working out to get in shape.” Pacquiao replied, “you’ll see,” when asked if he would return to the ring for a professional or exhibition fight in 2019.
Read more: Roy Keane Claims Cristiano Ronaldo Has Had An Attitude Problem His Entire Career.
The former champion refused to comment on a potential encounter with Floyd Mayweather, saying: “I don’t know [if he’ll accept an exhibition with me]; I don’t have an idea because that guy always changes his decision.” After participating in three such exhibition fights this year, Mayweather has decided against returning to the professional ranks.
Despite weighing 161 pounds, the heaviest of his career, Pacquiao was still nearly a stone lighter than DK Yoo, who towered over him in their first encounter. However, the former champion’s renowned speed and power were still present and abundantly on display as he took control of the contest from the opening bell.
Any time DK Yoo managed to get through with more than a jab, the boxer—who never appeared to be in any trouble—immediately punished him with a more substantial return. Despite landing a punch to the back of his opponent’s head that gave him time to recover, Pacquiao went for the finish in the fifth round. Before the fight resumed and Pacquiao sent him down again, though it was ruled a slip, DK Yoo spent his time at ringside chatting with officials.
DK Yoo managed to advance to the sixth and final round, but in the first few seconds of the round, he collapsed to the ground again while attempting to clinch up. And about halfway through, the cleanest knockdown you’ll ever see land.
The storied boxer has hinted at a return to legitimate professional boxing in 2019. If they couldn’t agree on a fight, he demanded world title fights with Terence Crawford or Errol Spence Jr. this past week.
