Amir Khan says Manny Pacquiao has signed to fight him. According to a Hard Rock Bet report published October 9, the former world champion claimed the deal is done on Pacquiao’s end and that the fight could take place in 2027.
That’s the whole announcement as it stands. Khan’s claim, as reported, doesn’t come with a date, a venue, a promoter, a weight or even a clear answer on whether this would be a sanctioned pro fight or an exhibition. Nothing in the reporting shows Pacquiao’s camp confirming the signature either, so for now this is one fighter telling the world the other guy put pen to paper.
The matchup has been talked about for years, and both men have spent their post-title years exploring the veteran and exhibition circuit, where the money is good and the stakes are whatever the marketing department says they are.
Pacquiao’s 2026 has been an odd mix. He was supposed to come back to the pro ranks this year for a rematch with Floyd Mayweather, Bloody Elbow reported, and that plan fell by the wayside. Mayweather beat Pacquiao the first time, one of the marquee wins on a 50-0 record that people are still arguing about. Mayweather, who turns 50 next February, has since moved on to a different headline. FightHype reported on October 6 that talks are underway between his team and Ryan Garcia’s, and Garcia wrote on X that he wouldn’t do an exhibition because he wants Mayweather’s zero on the line.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao was in Manila this week doing something a lot less violent. MiddleEasy reported he trained Polish President Karol Nawrocki during an official state visit and shared video of the session. A man who has a sitting head of state hitting pads with him has options, and that’s worth keeping in mind before anyone treats a Khan signing claim as gospel.
What comes next is simple enough to list. Pacquiao’s side either confirms it or goes quiet. Somebody announces a date. Somebody decides whether the result counts.
My take: I’ve been burned by enough “signed” fights to treat this like a futures ticket I bought at a gas station. A claim in October 2026 about a fight in 2027 gives everybody involved 12-plus months to back out, renegotiate or get a better phone call, and Pacquiao already watched one comeback evaporate this year. Two veterans this far removed from title contention fighting after a long gap is exactly the setup where I’d refuse to lay a short price on anybody, assuming a book ever hangs a line at all. If Pacquiao confirms it himself and a date appears, I’ll pay attention. Until then, the only signature I’ve seen is Khan’s on the quote.
