Demetrious Johnson, the reigning ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion, has been on hiatus since defeating the former titleholder Andriano Moraes in their trilogy-ending bout at ONE Fight Night 10 in May 2023. However, despite over a year passing, there’s no indication of his return to the cage.

After dominating the MMA scene in North America, “Mighty Mouse” made his promotional debut at the ONE Championship in 2018. He has since compiled an impressive 6-1 record, with his only loss coming at the hands of Moraes in their first encounter at ONE on TNT I back in April 2021. While he has not been in action in MMA, he indicated in an interview last August that he hasn’t decided whether to continue or retire from the sport. He is currently enjoying his time away from the sport with his family while also competing in prestigious grappling competitions.

Apart from his grappling pursuits, Johnson also suggested to fans that he might be interested in boxing legend Manny Pacquiao. In his podcast with Renato Moicano, he said, “I’d love to box. If it was Manny Pacquiao, f**k it, I am doing it.” This statement went viral and received enthusiastic support from fans.

Furthermore, Demetrious Johnson stirred up the combat sports world three days ago with an Instagram reel. The clip showed him putting in some boxing work, with the caption “I think I still got it. What do you think?”

The post went viral, with fans buzzing about a potential fight between Johnson and Pacquiao in the comments box.

Fans want Demetrious Johnson to fight Manny Pacquiao

In the video, Demetrious Johnson looks in very good shape and can continuously be seen hitting pads skillfully with his partner inside the ring, wearing gloves. While fans in the comment box give their opinions, one enthusiastic fan declares DJ the best P4P fighter, commenting, “P4P most skilled MMA fighter to ever live“.

Another fan directly replied to this caption, stating, “Wait, did you lose it? When?” This was followed by a comment from another fan who disagreed, simply saying, “Dude never lost it.”

Moreover, in the comment box, some fans highlighted the possibility of a blockbuster fight between Mighty Mouse and Manny Pacquiao. One fan commented, “I think @mighty vs @mannypacquiao should happen to start the new year off January 2025. Can’t wait.”

Another fan joined in, commenting “@mighty vs @mannypacquiao.” On the other hand, another highly motivated fan wished DJ well with the comment, “The GOAT never loses it, brother.”

Manny Pacquiao is considered one of the greatest boxers of this generation, being the only eight-division world champion in the sport’s history. Fighting him proves fruitful for fans and his opponents alike due to the publicity involved and the potential pay-per-view revenue, as exemplified by the Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao bout. Undoubtedly, this fight, if it ever happens, would add another milestone to Demetrious Johnson’s career.

Will we ever see this monster pairing in the future? Watch out in this space for any developments in this story.