Pacquiao vs Stevenson talks denied as offer reportedly sent to Gary Antuanne Russell

Reports last week suggested Manny Pacquiao and Shakur Stevenson were close to agreeing to a fight to co-headline the Tyson Fury–Anthony Joshua bill in Cardiff. At the Zuffa Boxing 11 post-fight press conference, however, Stevenson’s promoter Dana White rejected those reports. “That’s not true. I don’t know where that came from,” White said, denying that a Pacquiao matchup had been discussed. The proposed fight would have been Pacquiao’s first outing since his draw with Mario Barrios and had been mooted as a potential replacement for a postponed rematch with Floyd Mayweather. The denial casts doubt on the previously reported negotiations.

Reporter Dan Rafael said Zuffa Boxing has contacted PBC with an offer for WBA super-lightweight champion Gary Antuanne Russell to face WBO champion Shakur Stevenson in a unification bout. Rafael’s report describes the outreach as an attempt to set up a title unification, though it did not detail the offer's status or whether Russell has accepted. Stevenson responded to the Rafael report on social media, tweeting directly at Russell: “Gary Antuanne Russell, let’s unify ☎️ ☎️☎️” The unification proposal is being discussed against a backdrop of earlier talk linking Stevenson to Pacquiao.

The available reporting notes that Gary Antuanne Russell captured the WBA super-lightweight title by beating José Valenzuela by unanimous decision in March 2025 and has since made one successful defence, a points win over Andy Hiraoka. Shakur Stevenson won his WBO title by beating Teofimo López in January, a performance the report describes as a boxing masterclass. The report mentions Manny Pacquiao’s most recent result as a draw with then-WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios. The material does not specify other details such as ringside scorecards, purses or contractual terms for any proposed fights.

The reports leave several broader questions unresolved. It is unclear whether any of the proposed fights — whether a Stevenson–Russell unification or a Pacquiao return — are targeted for the December 11 Cardiff bill, especially since the entire Fury–Joshua event has been described as doubtful. Boxing News noted fan reaction to the idea of Pacquiao versus Stevenson had been largely negative because of the age gap and Stevenson’s standing among active fighters, but the promoter's denial and the new Russell offer mean the matchup is not proceeding as previously reported. Whether Pacquiao will fight again this year, as had been planned after his Mayweather rematch collapsed, remains to be seen.