Updated on 17 Jul 26 by
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Poker pro's $100K bluff on Manny Pacquiao

Justin Smith looks back on an encounter with the boxing legend that he'll never forget.

Smith and Pacquiao
An unlikely friendship: Smith with Pacquiao

Would you be able to fire a six-figure bullet on the river with eight-division world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao staring you down?

American cash game pro Justin 'BoostedJ' Smith found himself contemplating that very decision in his first ever meeting with the Filipino king, and somehow managed to pull the trigger holding absolutely nothing.

So, what happens when you show a huge bluff to a man capable of punching a hole through a sheet of steel? Not what you might expect, as Smith divulged recently to his Instagram following:

"He started to beg me to show him my hand. Naturally, I don’t usually like to show my hands, and didn’t want to rub it in his face that I had outplayed or “fooled” him. I also didn’t want to make him upset since he was asking me to do something. So, I asked him three times 'are you sure you want to see my hand?' He nodded his head energetically".

"I showed him an absolute stone cold bluff, and when he started walking over to me with clenched fists I was sure I'd pissed him off. I stood up, but then he started roaring with laughter, shook my hand and gave me a back pat hug. He respected the move I made because he loves competitiveness."

"You can feel there is something truly special about Manny. I’m sure most danger including death itself would be thwarted by his perpetual, iconic smile that is so relaxed and cool, that it’s haunting. This man is a legend and one of the biggest inspirations to not only myself, but to many people across the planet. I’m so thankful that I’ve had the chance to take in how he handles himself and how he approaches life with my own eyeballs."

Smith - who was recently given two years probation for his alleged role in an underground celebrity gambling ring - must have earned Pacquiao's respect that day, as the two have remained in contact ever since:

Would you have the courage to bluff Pacquiao in Smith's spot?

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