The 30-second version
- ✓Pacquiao vs. Stevenson is in negotiation — not signed — for the Fury vs. Joshua card, Dec 11, Principality Stadium, Cardiff.
- ✓Two people connected to the talks say Netflix wants the doubleheader; the date could shift to Dec 18 if events require.
- ✓Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs), a four-division champion, holds the WBO 140-pound title after beating Teofimo Lopez in January.
- ✓Pacquiao (62-8-3, 39 KOs) is 47, hasn't won since beating Keith Thurman in 2019, and last fought at 140 against Ricky Hatton in 2009.
- ✓The pitch: Britain's biggest heavyweight night plus Asia's biggest boxing name, on one global stream.
● The short answer
Manny Pacquiao and Shakur Stevenson are in talks to fight on the Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua card on December 11, 2026, at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, according to BoxingScene's Lance Pugmire, as a second headline-level fight streamed on Netflix. Nothing is signed: Pacquiao's adviser Jas Mathur says bout agreements have not yet been delivered to either fighter, and the card could move to December 18 if needed. Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs) is the unbeaten WBO junior welterweight champion after beating Teofimo Lopez in January. Pacquiao (62-8-3, 39 KOs), 47, last fought to a majority draw with Mario Barrios in July 2025.
The biggest heavyweight night Britain has seen in years may be getting a second headline. Manny Pacquiao and Shakur Stevenson are negotiating to fight on the Fury vs. Joshua card on December 11 in Cardiff, according to BoxingScene's Lance Pugmire.
What is actually agreed
Less than the headlines suggest. Two people connected to the talks say Netflix wants the Pacquiao–Stevenson doubleheader to anchor the card alongside Fury and Joshua. But Pacquiao's adviser, Jas Mathur, says bout agreements have not yet been delivered to either fighter. The card itself is pegged for December 11 at Principality Stadium, with December 18 held as a fallback if events require. Until contracts go out and come back signed, this is a fight in negotiation, not a fight on the card.
The matchup
Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs) is a four-division champion and holds the WBO junior welterweight title after beating Teofimo Lopez in January. He hasn't fought since — and a legend's name on his record would answer the critics who call his matchmaking cautious. Pacquiao (62-8-3, 39 KOs) is 47, an eight-division champion, and hasn't won since beating Keith Thurman in 2019. His last fight was a majority draw with Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title in July 2025.
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The questions that decide it
The weight. Stevenson's belt lives at 140. Pacquiao last fought there in 2009, when he knocked out Ricky Hatton. A catchweight is the obvious negotiation.
The style clash. Pacquiao's career was built on relentless, angled volume. Stevenson is the sport's most complete defensive boxer — a counter-puncher who makes aggressive fighters miss and pay. Pace against precision, sixteen years apart. If you want to see why that matchup is so hard for a pressure fighter, our counter-punching guide is the place to start — or train the Pacquiao system yourself.
The business. Britain's vocal heavyweight fanbase on one side, the most beloved boxer in Asian history on the other, and one global Netflix stream in the middle. That is the case for putting them in Cardiff.
A legend chasing one more miracle, an unbeaten champion chasing the name that silences his critics. It only happens once the paper is signed.
Also on this card: Fury vs. Joshua for the WBA 'super' title.
FAQ
Are Pacquiao and Stevenson fighting on the Fury vs. Joshua card?+
They are in talks to, per BoxingScene's Lance Pugmire, for December 11, 2026, at Principality Stadium in Cardiff. It is not signed: Pacquiao's adviser Jas Mathur says bout agreements have not yet been delivered to either fighter.
What are Pacquiao's and Stevenson's records?+
Shakur Stevenson is 25-0 with 11 knockouts and holds the WBO junior welterweight title. Manny Pacquiao is 62-8-3 with 39 knockouts; his last fight was a majority draw with Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title in July 2025.
Could the Fury vs. Joshua date change?+
The card is pegged for Friday, December 11, but the reporting says it could be shifted to December 18 if events require.
When did Pacquiao last fight at 140 pounds?+
In 2009, when he knocked out Ricky Hatton. Stevenson's WBO title is at 140, so the weight would be one of the key negotiating points.
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