MANNY PACQUIAO ANNOUNCES THRILLA IN MANILA 2 RETURN
Thrilla in Manila 2 is official for Oct 29, 2025, at Manila's Smart Araneta Coliseum. Manny Pacquiao's MP Promotions presents a historic card featuring Melvin Jerusalem vs. Siyakholwa Kuse and Nico Ali Walsh.
Thrilla in Manila 2 is official, according to a recent announcement from Manny Pacquiao's MP Promotions in collaboration with IBA Pro. The bout will take place on October 29, 2025, in the storied Smart Araneta Coliseum, the same venue where boxing became a myth and a source of blood. For those who still believe that boxing's heartbeat has not slowed, Manila is already trembling, and this one is available for streaming everywhere.
The October 1 announcement at Araneta Mall was a warning shot rather than a cheesy nostalgic gimmick. Pacquiao is reminding the sport where true fight history was established and bringing the ghosts of Ali and Frazier back into the spotlight. With his chin pulled in and his gloves on, he is bringing the past forward rather than turning to the past for solace.
Can Manila See Two Lightning Strikes?
Fifty years after Ali-Frazier made the Philippines the beating heart of boxing, Thrilla in Manila 2 is preparing for an evening full of tales rather than hype. WBC Minimumweight Champion Melvin Jerusalem, representing hometown tenacity versus Siyakholwa Kuse of South Africa, is the main attraction. Add to that the fact that Muhammad Ali's grandson, Nico Ali Walsh, is walking the same paths that made his grandfather a god.
Pacquiao's remarks came directly from his heart:
"As a child, the Thrilla in Manila ignited a fire within me," he remarked. "I am transferring that fire onto the next generation by bringing Thrilla in Manila 2 here."
Al Siesta, the head of IBA Pro, referred to it as a "game-changer", and for once, he was correct. It smells like a bridge from the past to the future, something more significant than boxing.
The Card: International Noise Meets Manila's Fire
The lineup is unclean. Melvin Jerusalem is defending his title in a bout that might quickly become ugly and be over before anybody can blink. Next up is the six-round bout between Nico Ali Walsh and Kittisak Klinson, which is full of evil intentions and bloodlines. “Expect fireworks,” Walsh added, and for once, a fighter’s vow might really deliver.
Think sweat, body shots, and broken ribs as former two-division champion Marlon "The Nightmare" Tapales (38-4, 20 KOs) squares up against Fernando Toro of Venezuela in a real 10-round brawl.
Carl Jammes "Wonder Boy" Martin, who is not coming in to lose, defends his perfect 23-0 record against Aran Dipaen.
Following his Olympic success, Eumir Marcial resumes swinging leather, and his blows resemble a hammer striking a wall.
The support of IBA Pro translates into organisation, statistics, and a new broadcast advantage. It gets that local grit by partnering with Pacquiao's Blow by Blow brand. The right combination of Philippine anarchy and global polish makes for an unforgettable fight night.
October 29, 2025: Thrilla in Manila 2 Fight Card (Smart Araneta Coliseum)
Siyakholwa Kuse of South Africa vs. Melvin Jerusalem (22-3, 12 KOs): 12 rounds, World Title for WBC Minimum weight
Kittisak Klinson (Thailand) vs. Nico Ali Walsh (11-1, 7 KOs): 6 rounds, Super Middleweight
Fernando Toro (Venezuela) vs. Marlon "The Nightmare" Tapales (38-4, 20 KOs) — 10 rounds, featherweights
Aran Dipaen (Thailand) vs. Carl Jammes "Wonder Boy" Martin (23-0, 18 KOs) — 10 rounds, Super Bantamweights
Middleweight Eumir Marcial (5-0, 3 KOs) in a 6-round fight (opponent to be determined)
Eman Bacosa (10-0, 6 KOs) vs. Lightweights, 6 rounds (opponent to be determined)
TYSON FURY BLASTS ANTHONY JOSHUA AFTER DANIEL DUBOIS STOPS FABIO WARDLEY IN MANCHESTER
Tyson Fury has labelled Anthony Joshua "chinny" after Daniel Dubois secured the WBO heavyweight title against a resilient Fabio Wardley.
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Tyson Fury wasted no time after Daniel Dubois stopped Fabio Wardley this past weekend, using the moment to take a shot at Anthony Joshua.
Dubois picked up his second heavyweight title Saturday night in Manchester, grabbing the WBO belt from Wardley in a wild, bloodied battle that’s already being called a fight of the year candidate.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Dubois, though. He hit the canvas twice in the first three rounds but bounced back hard, battering Wardley late and leaving his face a mess as the final bell sounded.
Wardley never actually went down during the fight, despite looking wobbly near the end. Credit to him for sheer toughness, but Dubois still beat him decisively. This was Dubois’ first victory since his massive upset over Anthony Joshua earlier in 2024, when he floored AJ four times in one night.
On Sunday, Fury chimed in about Dubois’ latest win. With his own fight against Joshua rumoured for later this year on Netflix, Fury saw an opening to stir the pot.
“Just been thinking about Dubois’ crazy fight last night,” Fury said. Dubois fought [Jarrell] Miller, stopped him, but never put him down. He fought. [Filip] Hrgovic stopped him but never put him down. Fought Wardley last night and stopped him, but didn’t put him down. He hit Usyk with bombs but didn’t drop him. But against Anthony Joshua? Drops him five times.”
Fury added, “I’m not saying Joshua’s got no chin, but facts are facts. Take it however you want. Nobody else went down, not Miller, not Hrgovic, not Usyk, not Wardley. But Joshua hits the deck five times? Chinny, get up, slink!”
Fury is coming off a comeback win over Arslanbek Makhmudov and has already signed on to fight Joshua this year. Joshua will warm up first against Albanian heavyweight Kristian Pregna in Saudi Arabia on July 25 before facing Fury.
Promoter Frank Warren says Fury vs. AJ will probably land in October, though Fury might want another tune-up, which could push things back a bit.
As for Dubois, he’s got options. There’s talk of a rematch with Wardley, a chance to settle the score with Usyk in a trilogy, or a domestic showdown with Moses Itauma. Dubois’ dad, Stan, told talkSPORT he’d rather see his son fight another British heavyweight next, not Usyk.
HOW DANIEL DUBOIS SURVIVED TWO KNOCKDOWNS TO STOP A BLOODY FABIO WARDLEY
"I had to dig deep." Read Daniel Dubois' full reaction to his stunning comeback victory against Fabio Wardley in Manchester.
The punch that changed everything wasn't thrown by either of the fighters.
Fabio Wardley came out blazing in his title defence, dropping Daniel Dubois just 10 seconds in. He did it again in the third round, making it look like his big night. But then, something strange happened. As Dubois got up after the fourth round, his trainer, Don Charles, slapped him hard on both cheeks.
That’s when Dubois woke up. “I had to make him realise what he needed to do,” Charles said afterwards. It’s not exactly the kind of thing you see at team-building seminars, but it worked. Dubois turned on, and suddenly Wardley’s reign started to unravel.
Wardley had picked Dubois for the first fight since collecting the WBO belt that Oleksandr Usyk dropped. Honestly, it looked like a smart pick: he dropped Dubois twice and set the tone. But after that slap, Dubois started seeing Wardley’s moves coming; those wild lunges became easier to dodge.
He landed his stiff jab and followed up with savage right hands. Wardley’s jaw somehow took the hits, but his nose was pouring blood, and his right eye was almost swollen shut. He kept pushing forward, showing crazy heart, while Dubois just kept piling on. The fight turned into a brutal spectacle, the kind you can’t look away from.
Wardley got checked twice by doctors but kept fighting. Honestly, it could've stopped before the second-to-last round, when referee Howard Foster finally stepped in. Dubois got his second world title; Wardley, battered and worn, just managed a thumbs up to his mum.
Dubois summed it up later: “I had to dig really deep. When you’re a warrior, you go to dark places. I was nervous at first, all over the place, and had to fight my own battles. That slap woke me up. My dad and everyone were in my corner; I couldn’t let them down.
“Fabio came to fight; he was tough. We were exhausted; it was a real war. I had to use all my skills to win. Great fight, great battle, and I’m No. 1 again.” Sure, Usyk might argue about that, but Dubois proved something; he got up off the canvas and won.
People have called Dubois a quitter since the Joe Joyce fight six years ago. Wardley himself thought Dubois would fold again in Manchester, and for three rounds it looked like he was right until reality snapped Dubois awake.
