Will Pacquiao accept Cardiff encounter?

Welshman Joe Cordina has agreed to face the legendary Manny Pacquiao in a welterweight bout on 11 December in Wales, Matchroom Boxing announced on Friday.

“We’ve agreed terms to fight Manny Pacquiao but, I’m not saying it’s done,” Matchroom Boxing chief Eddie Hearn told The Ring.

“We were approached about the fight, agreed the purse and now we’re waiting to hear. I think Pacquiao-Cordina at Millennium Stadium would be wild, a kid from Cardiff fighting Pacquiao after everything he’s been through recently as well. Hopefully Sela make that fight, Pacquiao is in for it and that’s what we’ll get.”

It could not de determines if Pacquiao, who hasn’t fought since battling Mario Barrios to a three-way split draw in July last year in Las Vegas, has accepted as of press time.

The main event of the show taking place at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff features Tyson Fury against Anthony Joshua.

Cordina, 34, who has fought primarily as a super-featherweight before moving up to lightweight, holds a 19-1-0 win-loss-draw mark with nine knockouts.

Pacquiao, who turns 48 on 17 December, has been seen training recently in General Santos City.

Boxing’s one and only eight-division champion, Pacquiao, currently heads the government’s anti-poverty commission.

In the amateurs, Cordina fought Charly Suarez, now the world’s top-rated super-feather contender, in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Cordina beat him on a split decision in the Round of 16.