$5 million fine threatens Pacquiao foe for violations

TOKYO – Manny Pacquiao is already expecting a decent payday for his three-round exhibition match with Japanese kickboxer Rukiya Anpo here Sunday.

The Filipino icon will go home even richer if Anpo pulls off something outside the rules.

Rizin Fighting Federation, which is promoting the showcase bout, is dead-serious in insisting that the fight set at the Saitama Super Arena will be under boxing rules.

A representative from the organization said that Anpo — a former K-1 kickboxing champion — will be fined $5 million (approximately P292 million) if he tries any illegal move. This includes feigning a kick and back fists, which are common in kickboxing and mixed martial arts.

The stipulation is simply to protect Pacquiao, whose discipline is strictly boxing.

Rizin said the same was applied when Floyd Mayweather Jr. fought then kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa in a similar exhibition fight here in 2019.