Pacquiao floors, dominates Yoo in exhibition

MANILA, Philippines — Manny Pacquiao, as expected, proved too much for Korean YouTuber DK Yoo, who went down in the final round and held on for dear life in their six-round exhibition fight at the Korea International Exhibition Center in Goyang, South Korea yesterday.

Pacquiao shrugged off a slow start and battered the taller Yoo with flurries to the body to waltz his way to a unanimous decision victory.

The fight, billed as a charity match whose proceeds will go to the victims of the war in Ukraine as well as to Pacquiao’s housing project for the homeless, started flat with both protagonists feeling each other out.

Action started to build up in the second round as Yoo spammed Pacquiao with jabs – until the former eight-division world champion decided that playtime is over.

The 43-year-old Pacquiao, who last stepped in the ring in August 2021, flashed traces of his old aggressiveness, which proved just enough to have Yoo fighting for survival.

The boxing legend walked Yoo down with combinations whose effect was just tremendous for the home fighter who slumped into a corner right after the bell sounded to end Round 4.

Pacquiao finally knocked the Korean down in the final round but came short of stopping his foe, who was too gassed that he looked to be on the verge of quitting.

But Yoo, a martial arts experts who boasts over 650,000 subscribers on YouTube, lived to see the end of the fight.

Pacquiao, who retired after losing to Yordenis Ugas, was then asked whether he looks to return and take a serious fight next year.

“You’ll see,” he said.