NEW YORK CITY — Boxing’s only eight-division world champion, Manny Pacquiao, swapped his gloves for a baseball at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday (Manila time), surprising fans with the revelation that baseball was actually his “first sport” before he ever stepped into a ring.
Pacquiao threw the ceremonial first pitch to catcher JC Escarra before the New York Yankees faced off against the Oakland Athletics. The Yankees went on to win the game 5-3, with “Pacman” providing a lucky charm for the Bronx Bombers.
During an appearance in the YES Network broadcast booth, the legendary fighter shared a bit of his history that many fans were unaware of.
- Elementary Days: Pacquiao revealed he was both a pitcher and a batter during his elementary school years in the Philippines.
- Early Passion: “For the longest time, when I was young… I used to play baseball. It’s my first sport before boxing,” Pacquiao said. He famously turned professional in boxing at the age of 16.
The visit to Yankee Stadium is part of a high-profile tour across the United States for the Pacquiao family. Manny and his wife Jinkee arrived earlier this month to support their son, Jimuel, for his second professional boxing match in California.
In recent days, the Filipino icon has been a fixture at major sporting events:
- NBA: Honored guest of the Los Angeles Clippers at the Intuit Dome.
- NHL: Attended the LA Kings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs game at Crypto.com Arena.
- MLS: Spotted at an LA Galaxy match at Dignity Health Sports Park.
While enjoying the U.S. sports scene, Pacquiao remains focused on his return to the ring. He confirmed that a contract has been signed for a high-stakes rematch against his longtime rival Floyd Mayweather Jr., scheduled for September 19, 2026. The event is set to be a massive global streaming attraction on Netflix.
“Both of us have signed the contract already,” Pacquiao asserted, dismissing any doubts about the legitimacy of the upcoming bout.