Manny Pacquiao-Shakur Stevenson 'double main event' in talks for Joshua-Fury Cardiff show

Despite the impending movement of the long-awaited Anthony Joshua-Tyson Fury heavyweight battle across the Atlantic to Cardiff, Wales, a “double main event” of Manny Pacquiao-Shakur Stevenson continues to be part of the effort, BoxingScene confirmed Wednesday.

Two individuals connected to the talks say Netflix “wants” the power doubleheader to anchor a card that for now seems pegged for December 11 at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, a venue that can be covered from poor weather. The bout could also be shifted to December 18, if events require, the officials said.

Bout agreements have not yet been delivered either to unbeaten four-division champion Stevenson, 25-0 (11 KOs), or record eight-division champion Pacquiao, 62-8-3 (39 KOs), according to Pacquiao advisor Jas Mathur.

Representatives of Stevenson promoter Zuffa Boxing’s parent company, TKO Group Holdings, are in contact with Mathur. Saudi Arabia boxing financier Turki Alalshikh owns 60% of Zuffa Boxing.

Interestingly, Zuffa Boxing head Nick Khan was Pacquiao’s attorney and co-manager during the Filipino’s rise as a multi-division champion and pay-per-view draw who now resides, at age 47, in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Pacquiao last fought July 19, 2025, scoring a draw against then-WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios.

A meeting against 2016 American Olympic silver medalist Stevenson, 29, would be a generational clash of pound-for-pound kings following Stevenson’s near-shutout unanimous-decision victory over three-division champion and current WBA welterweight titlist Teofimo Lopez January 31 at Madison Square Garden.

Negotiators connected to two-time heavyweight champions Joshua, 30-4 (27 KOs), and Fury, 36-2-1 (25 KOs), have said a fight announcement could occur as soon as this week.

Mathur said Pacquiao’s financial package is still being negotiated.

Pacquiao intends to stage a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jnr in 2027 following their participation in the richest prizefight in history in 2015, but Mayweather first needs to participate in an exhibition bout versus Mike Tyson.

Pacquiao-Mayweather talks falling off from a bout that was planned for this week cost the Madison Square Garden-owned The Sphere in Las Vegas that event, and now the persistence of Joshua and his English promoter Eddie Hearn to bring the fight to the U.K. has subtracted Joshua-Fury from MSG.

Netflix’s interest in keeping Pacquiao-Stevenson atop the card has propelled the effort despite the site change, and Stevenson has been recorded training alongside Mayweather at the Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas.

Upon defeating Lopez, Stevenson joined Zuffa Boxing for a multi-fight agreement and while some wondered if he could land a big fight with the company still building its stable, Pacquiao more than qualifies.