Former UFC star Tyron Woodley is stirring up the boxing scene with his fervent desire for a showdown against the legendary Manny Pacquiao. Making his intentions crystal clear, Woodley took to Instagram to publicly call out his prospective opponent. This ignited speculation and excitement among fans.
Despite his retirement in 2021, Manny Pacquiao is an icon in the sport of boxing. He recently hinted at a potential return to the ring.
While discussions surrounding a bout between Woodley and Pacquiao have been circulating, no firm arrangements have materialized yet. This uncertainty prompted Woodley to directly question the status of the proposed matchup, expressing his impatience and eagerness for clarity.
Woodley wrote: “@mannypacquiao we been f**king around with these numbers for two months. Are we fighting or what? You acting like Floyd [Mayweather] and KSI! [Capitalizing] on Clout [facepalm emoji] SMH”
Following a string of defeats in his final UFC matches against formidable opponents like Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns, Tyron Woodley redirected his focus towards to boxing.
Woodley ventured into professional boxing with two high-profile matches against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in 2021. Despite showcasing his skills, Woodley fell short in both encounters against Paul.
In their first clash, the judges’ decision resulted in a split verdict after eight intense rounds. While one judge scored the contest 77-75 in Woodley’s favor, the other two favored Paul with scores of 77-75 and 78-74.
A few months later, Woodley took Tommy Fury’s place in a rematch when Fury pulled out of their December 2021 scheduled fight. Paul knocked out Woodley in the sixth round of the match.
On the other hand, eight-division world boxing champion Pacquiao has been retired since 2021.
He recently attempted to get an exemption to participate in the Summer Olympics in Paris in 2024. However, he was denied from competing by the International Olympic Committee’s rule that does not allow individuals above the age of 40 to box.