It’s for charity.
It’s the best way to protect Manny Pacquiao’s pay-per-view exhibit with boxer and social media star DK Yoo on Saturday in Seoul, South Korea.
The future Hall of Famer, said to weigh 160 pounds, delivered some serious punches – knocking his inexperienced opponent down a few times – but the 43-year-old’s match was mostly game and fun game.
It feels like a reunion in the intro, with familiar faces. His wife, his mother, longtime friend Buboy Fernandez, and many others.
There are more smiles than you would see at a comedy club.
Manny Pacquiao confronts Floyd Mayweather Jr in a performance fight “I don’t know, because he always changes his mind” pic.twitter.com/h6eASokHhj
– Kris Pangilinan (@KrisReports) December 11, 2022
The “fight” itself is at best mildly amusing, although Pacquiao appeared to be pursuing a knockout at the end of the match, which consisted of six two-minute rounds.
He knocked Yoo out in the final seconds of Round 4 with a flurry of punches, then the referee apparently left the match only to change his mind after Yoo protested.
Pacquiao caught Yoo’s attention with a few hits in Round 5, which prompted the well-intentioned Korean boxer to perform his version of Ali shuffle. That elicited a grin from Pacquiao.
Then, in the final round, Pacquiao knocked Yoo out with a really hard backhand against the body. Yoo, at least a little sore and exhausted, got to his feet but it was clear that he hoped to hear the final bell sooner rather than later.
Yoo went down again but got up again and finally heard the closing bell of the exhibition, making him feel much more relieved.
Pacquiao was declared the winner by decision but the real winners were Ukrainian and Philippine charities that benefited from the event, although some fans may have been pleased to see Their hero stepped over the rope again.
Pacquiao, who said he plans to continue training, was then asked if he would participate in another exhibition next year. He turns 44 on December 17.
He replied, “We’ll see.”
The most lucrative matchup will likely be a rematch with Floyd Mayweather, in exhibition form only. Many have speculated that the money on the table could bring them together again.
Pacquiao was asked about that possibility.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I have no opinion. He always changes his mind.”
You can bet we’ll see Pacquiao again in the ring even if we don’t know the opponent. He obviously had a lot of fun. And he remains dedicated to helping others.
