Manny Pacquiao’s 2026 comeback delayed as doubts grow over January return

Manny Pacquiao is eyeing a comeback, but fans hoping to see him early next year might be left waiting a bit longer.

The former world champion has set his sights on an in-ring return in 2026, with another title shot at the top of his agenda.

He came out of retirement last summer for a shot at the WBC welterweight title but only managed a majority draw against Mario Barrios. The result was surrounded by controversy, leaving plenty of questions about his future.

While Pacquiao appears to be closing in on an opponent, there’s no confirmed date for when he’ll step back into the ring.

Manny Pacquiao’s January return looking less certain

Rumours have been swirling around a potential WBA welterweight title clash with Rolly Romero, a matchup that’s certainly caught the public’s attention. But according to boxing analyst Dan Rafael, while that fight seems likely to happen, the January date mentioned by Pacquiao is far from confirmed.

Speaking to Boxing Social, Rafael said: “I’m told that although Manny (Pacquiao) made that little social media video that said January 24, there was nothing done yet.”