YouTube martial arts sensation DK Yoo is traveling to various countries as he soaks up all the lessons he could possibly get in preparation for his upcoming exhibition boxing match with eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao.
Yoo, who enjoys a height and reach edge against Pacquiao, appears to be dead-serious in scoring a big upset win against the Filipino boxing icon in their six-round bout on Dec. 10 in South Korea.
Yoo, who is making his debut in boxing, has gone to Korea, the Philippines, the Netherlands, and Italy before proceeding to Los Angeles at the Wildcard Gym under Filipino coach Marvin Somodio.
Wildcard Gym is owned by Freddie Roach, the legendary boxing coach, who trained Pacquiao in many of his world championship tussles.
On paper, Pacquiao, who retired from boxing with a record of 62 wins, 8 losses, and 2 draws, looks unbeatable against the taller South Korean opponent, who espouses the warfare combat system’s practical approach to fighting.
Pacquiao retired in September 2021 after losing by a unanimous decision to Yordenis Ugas.
Both fighters are 43 years old and southpaws.
Although it’s a charity event, Pacquiao and his long-time friend trainer Buboy Fernandez are dead-set on winning the fight via stoppage.
“Iba ito, pero paghahandaan namin ito ng seryoso,” said Fernandez.
Pacquiao is using this bout as the first step towards his return for a big-ticket fight. A return bout with Floyd Mayweather is still an option.
But in a recent press conference in LA where he appeared via Hologram, Pacquiao also expressed interest in facing the winner of the fight between Errol Spence and Terence Crawford.
But it will largely depend on how he will fare against Yoo.
“Why not? If that’s possible, but we’ll see the result first. I will watch,” Pacquiao told Fighthype.
