Danny Garcia Says He's Ready If Pacquiao Comes Calling

Danny Garcia says he'll come out of retirement for Manny Pacquiao — if the offer actually lands. The former two-weight world champion, who walked away from an 18-year career in October 2025, confirmed on The Last Stand podcast that Pacquiao is one of only two names that could pull him back into the ring. The other, predictably, is Floyd Mayweather.

Here's the kicker: Garcia's team reportedly turned down $3 million to fight Pacquiao back in 2016. A decade later, the 47-year-old 'PacMan' is reportedly weighing a return in 2026, and Garcia's name has surfaced on a shortlist of possible opponents. He's heard the chatter. He just hasn't heard it from anyone official.

He-Say, She-Say

Garcia was blunt about how thin the link actually is. He said his partner Mike heard from someone that his name was on Pacquiao's list, but no one has called him directly. In his own words, it was all 'he-say, she-say.' He also admitted he can't quite picture it — he still punches hard and he's the bigger man — but he made clear he'd take it anyway. Asked point blank if he'd accept, Garcia said yes.

The Pacquiao return has been a moving target. He drew with then-WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios in his 2025 comeback, ruled out going back to exhibitions, and saw a planned Mayweather rematch postponed indefinitely. More recently he's been floated for the Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua card, with Netflix reportedly keen to park him in the co-main slot for the global draw.

Why Garcia Fits the Pitch

Shakur Stevenson was the first name mentioned, but Dana White — now Stevenson's promoter — shut that down. Stevenson, 25-0 (11 KO) and the WBO super-lightweight champion, was always a stylistic nightmare and a brand-new risk for a 47-year-old. Garcia and Amir Khan make far more commercial sense: recognizable names, manageable danger, built-in storylines.

And Garcia's resume still carries weight. The Philadelphia native unified at super-lightweight before claiming the WBC welterweight belt, beating Erik Morales, Amir Khan, Lucas Matthysse and Zab Judah while sharing the ring with Keith Thurman, Shawn Porter and Errol Spence Jr. His exit was his own design: after a ninth-round stoppage loss to WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara in September 2024, he booked a farewell fight at Barclays Center and knocked out Daniel Gonzalez. For now, a Pacquiao fight looks a lot more realistic than the Mayweather fantasy — assuming anyone actually makes the call.