The encounter took place during Nawrocki's State visit to the Philippines, marking a historic moment as the first time a Polish head of state has made an official visit to the Filipino archipelago. The trip aimed to strengthen diplomatic ties between the two countries. During his stay, the Polish President took the opportunity to have a more informal moment with Pacquiao, one of the most renowned boxers of all time. Both stepped into the ring for a training session where Nawrocki exchanged some punches with the former Filipino world champion.
The Polish President later shared a brief video of the encounter on his YouTube account. The footage shows him in gloves facing Pacquiao, accompanied by a message in which he jokes about the opportunity: "The legendary Manny Pacquiao on the other side of the ring: a sparring session like this cannot be refused." Pacquiao also shared the moment with his followers, posting a video on his Instagram account showing part of the training session with the Polish leader. "It was an honor to train His Excellency Karol Nawrocki, President of Poland. Mabuhay! (Long live!)" wrote the Filipino boxer. This unique encounter between diplomacy and sports combined during a State visit marked by an unusual moment: a president facing a global boxing legend in the same ring.