Following the postponement of a fight with boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, Buakaw Banchamek has moved on to find a swift replacement.
Banchamek tackles Minoru Kimura on Saturday, one month before he was due to face Pacquiao in a boxing match. Fresh Air Festival announced the battle between Pacquiao and Banchamek, known as ‘Match of Legend,’ would go ahead at a later date.
World Boxing News believes the reason for the delay is Pacquiao’s desire to reignite his professional boxing career in 2024 at 45.
Speaking about the postponement, Banchamek is sure his $25 million mega-fight will happen one day.
“My understanding is that the fight has gotten postponed. It hasn’t gotten canceled,” Buakaw told MMA Mania. “As far as contractual-wise, the fight is still happening. We don’t know when. So, my understanding is that the fight is not off. It has just been postponed.”
Even more of a surprise than the announcement is the fact that Banchamek has agreed to face Kimura. A RIZIN competitor, Kimura courted controversy in 2023. He fought at RIZIN 43 on June 24 last year, opposite Daryl Lokoku. Kimura knocked out Lokoku in the first and looked poised for a title run. After the fight, Kimura was banned for six months for failing to supply a drug test.
Then, in the fall of that year, RIZIN announced that Kimura would make his comeback from the ban against Rukiya Anpo at Rizin 45 on New Year’s Eve. However, the fight was scrapped when Kimura tested positive for steroids.
RIZIN CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara was surprised but not shocked at the time.
“I can’t help but laugh. We announced this fight, and now we have another positive result,” he said of Kimura. “Personally, I hope that Kimura can pass the test and return to RIZIN in 2024. In any case, we look forward to his dedication.”
Kimura released a statement added: “I take the test results very seriously. I believe there were still trace amounts [of PEDs] remaining in my system, so I will continue to focus on treatment and training until I’m completely clean.
“I deeply apologize to [Rukiya] Anpo and all the fans for any inconvenience I have caused. But I will definitely come back, so I will do my best to ensure this fight can happen next year.”
Now, Kimura is basically rewarded with one of the most significant fights out there for any combat star. However, Banchamek is unfazed by Kimura’s previous misdemeanors.
“I think using PEDs is definitely one of Kimura’s characteristics from his fighting style. I guess that’s one of his strong points, obviously,” Buakaw said. “For me, I take pride. I’m very proud that I’ve never taken any sort of any drugs in my life, in my career. I am very proud to say that, and I’m here to prove that. I’m proud to be a professional. I’m here to show him what a professional does and how a professional fights.”
Outlining the details of the fight, Buakaw added: “This fight is going to be held at 74 kilograms (163 pounds), which is a lot heavier than my regular weight class, but if the offer is there, I will take the fight.
“I will not question it; I will take the fight because that’s what professionals do. So, hopefully, with my showing of professionalism, I can teach him that there are other ways to be a professional fighter.”
Buakaw will plow on with his impressive career as he is unlikely to see Pacquiao in the opposite corner until the Filipino superstar concludes his apparent desire to box again.
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