PETALING JAYA, April 24 — Rising boxing talent Aiman AB (Abu Bakar) has received Manny Pacquiao’s blessing to fight on the bill when the Filipino takes on Lucas Matthysse in Kuala Lumpur later this year.

It will be the Malaysian featherweight’s first fight on home soil and eighth in his professional career.

Aiman, originally from Negri Sembilan, is based in the Philippines and holds a record of 7-0 with three KOs.

“It’s a huge honour and privilege to fight on the Pacquiao-Matthysse undercard in July. I can’t wait to get in the ring to show Malaysia and the world what I’m made of,” he told Malay Mail yesterday.

There were raised eyebrows at last Friday’s press conference when Pacquiao mentioned a Malaysian was set to feature on the undercard.

Aiman, originally from Negri Sembilan, is based in the Philippines and holds a record of 7-0 with three KOs.
Aiman, originally from Negri Sembilan, is based in the Philippines and holds a record of 7-0 with three KOs.

Only a certain few were aware Pacman was referring to little-known Aiman, who sat in the crowd with his manager-brother Ariff and father Abu Bakar Shaif.

The 26-year-old left Malaysia four years ago to pursue boxing full-time.

He started to take the discipline seriously at the relatively late age of 18 and spent a couple of years fighting here as an amateur. Most bouts were against army cadets.

Realising the opportunity here was limited, he then moved to the Philippines knowing there was a greater chance of making it big there.  

He trains out of Metro Manila’s JMC Boxing gym. With former world champs for coaches, Aiman’s name has been passed around the country’s boxing circles as quickly as he flattens his opponents.

Senator Pacquiao soon caught wind of his unbeaten streak which led to a meeting between the pair last month.

“I was invited to the senator’s office to meet Pacquiao. He was told I’d been fighting in the Philippines for four years and it’d be a great homecoming fight for me,” he said.

“Pacquiao gave me his blessing for a six-round fight.”

Aiman was initially preparing for his first overseas fight which was scheduled to take place in Osaka, Japan until the opportunity to box in Malaysia arose.

“There were talks about Pacquiao fighting in Kuala Lumpur and my team got a call from Las Vegas,” he said.

“It was renowned matchmaker Sean Gibbons (of Knucklehead Boxing promotions) who asked for Aiman AB. I couldn’t believe it.”

Aiman was initially preparing for his first overseas fight which was scheduled to take place in Osaka, Japan until the opportunity to box in Malaysia arose.
Aiman was initially preparing for his first overseas fight which was scheduled to take place in Osaka, Japan until the opportunity to box in Malaysia arose.

Aiman thanked Australian coach Bobby Mayne who has been sharing how impressed he was with the up-and-coming boxer on social media after a session together.

He’ll either train in Philippines or Perth ahead of the Pacquiao-Matthysse showdown, dubbed the “Fight of Champions”, set to take place at 15,000 capacity Axiata Arena on July 15.

It will be the biggest boxing promotion in KL since Muhammad Ali defeated Joe Bugner at Stadium Negara in July 1975.