Six years after last sparring together in the Philippines, Tim Tszyu and Manny Pacquiao are looking to finally reunite in the world famous Wild Card Boxing Gym – and as soon as next week.

As preparations begin to ramp up for his July 20 showdown with Sebastian Fundora, Fox Sports Australia can confirm Tszyu is in discussions to train alongside Pacquaio – who is himself ending four years out of the sport to challenge WBC welterweight champ Mario Barrios atop the same card.

The revelation comes as Tszyu’s younger brother Nikita is also readying for his own August return to the ring – despite not yet punching hard with his left hand – and on the same card that fellow undefeated No Limit prospect Billy Polkinghorn also fights for an Australian title.

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While Tszyu will complete almost all of his camp for the Fundora rematch in Australia, The Soul Taker is jetting out for the States this Thursday for an array of media activities alongside Pacquiao to promote their upcoming MGM Grand card.

Already, Tszyu’s longtime manager Glen Jennings is on the ground in Las Vegas to ensure accommodation, training facilities, even recovery and dining options are sorted for when Australian arrives for what will be a whirlwind six days.

During his stay, Tszyu will train in both Las Vegas and LA, with Jennings confirming a session with Pacquiao at Wild Card is one of several options being discussed for his 30-year-old client.

Jennings also revealed that, after returning Down Under next Thursday, Tszyu will then move into sparring with two towering US southpaws who will fly into Sydney for camp just days later.

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It’s understood one of the sparring partners will be Mykal Fox – a 6’3’’ southpaw who, dubbed The Professor, also worked briefly with Tszyu prior to the first Fundora fight.

While Team Tszyu are remaining tight-lipped over the other sparring partner, Jennings insists the former world champ will not be working out with younger brother Nikita, who is himself readying for an August return to the ring.

“No chance,” Jennings said when asked about the siblings sparring any time soon.

More immediately however, Tszyu is a chance of working with Paquiao, who he initially sparred in the Philippines during the early stages of his career, and also again in 2019 – shortly before Pac Man fought WBA welterweight champ Keith Thurman.

Speaking after that second workout, Pacquiao told local media in Manila that Tszyu “fights very similar to Keith Thurman”.

No Limit promoter Matt Rose also revealed to us at the time how “Manny told us he’s never had a boxer make him think like Tim Tszyu … that’s a huge compliment”.

Now six years on, the pair look set to be reunited in the gym, while also promoting their massive July title fights on the same card.

“Tim and Manny have always have remained in contact,” Jennings revealed this week.

“And because of that, training with Manny at Wild Card gym, it’s only ever a phone call away.

“There’s definitely a strong chance of Tim doing that during this trip, too.

“While he has a few days in Las Vegas, Tim will train out of the Split T Boxing Gym, same as always.

“He’s incredibly comfortable there.

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“Then in Los Angeles, we’re definitely looking at Wild Card with Manny.

“And given they’ll both be around each other anyway, doing a lot of media stuff together, it definitely makes sense.”

As part of his whirlwind US media tour, Tszyu is expected to attend Saturday night’s big Las Vegas fight card – featuring both Caleb Plant and Jermall Charlo – before attending a press conference alongside Pacquaio in Los Angeles to announce their respective title fights early next week.

From there, Tszyu will then fly back into Australia by early Thursday morning, with two American sparring partners, including Fox, due to be flown into Sydney to begin the toughest part of camp that same weekend.

Elsewhere, younger brother Nikita is also slowly working his way back to full strength following ongoing complications from surgery on his left hand.

Revealing the injury to Fox Sports Australia last October, ‘The Butcher’ admitted to having quietly battled the issue for more than a year – and through four straight wins – but conceded “I can’t keep going on like this”.

“In fights, I’ve been restricted with what I can use, what I can throw,” he conceded.

“I’ve kept it quiet, but it’s just not a healthy way to progress in the sport.

“I wasn’t even really able to do pad work.

“Can’t really throw punches on the bag with my left hand either …”

Seven months on and Jennings revealed that, while Nikita is yet to restart punching at full power, an August return remains in the team’s plans.

“I’ve only been speaking to Nikita in the past half hour,” the manager said.

“He’s still experiencing some soreness in the hand but everything is moving in the right direction.

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“For a while there, his forearm was like a concrete barrel, but the physio has been working hard to free everything up.

“He’s been punching on some soft surfaces – nothing hard yet – but we’re still working towards on August return.”

Jennings also confirmed another of his clients, Polkinghorn, has only just signed off to throw down for the national title against fellow Australian super lightweight prospect Ahmad Reda – with the winner likely to get a shot at Harry Garside.

The Australian title fight will take place on the same August card as Nikita Tszyu’s return.

“This is a great fight for Billy and exactly the step up we were chasing,” Jennings said. “I really believe Billy Polkinghorn is one of the next big things in Australian boxing.”

For Tszyu meanwhile, his own Las Vegas blockbuster follows on from a brutal stoppage win over American prospect Joey Spencer in April, with his rival’s corner throwing in the towel after just four rounds.

Before that however, the Australian lost consecutive world title fights in the US against Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev – although for the first, Tszyu was seriously impacted by a nasty head cut suffered in only the second round.

While Team Tszyu prepared for both world title fights in Las Vegas, Jennings confirmed his fighter would be staying at home in Sydney to ready for this one, with likely only the last fortnight of camp done in Las Vegas at Split T Boxing Gym.