Manny Pacquiao’s controversial return to boxing did not bring the clarity that boxing fans desired. On Saturday night (19 July), in a strange title challenge against Mario Barrios, a 46-year-old Pacquiao fought the WBC champion to a majority draw, leaving questions over what comes next.
Many within boxing had spoken out against Pacquiao’s return, as boxing’s only eight-weight world champion fought professionally for the first time since 2021.
Yet the Filipino legend impressed in Las Vegas, against an admittedly underwhelming Barrios, 30. Those factors combined for a 114-114 draw on two of the three judges’ scorecards, while the other read 115-113 in Barrios’s favour.
While Pacquiao had been coy before the fight about what might come next, he naturally would not have planned for a draw. A rematch against American Barrios looks likely, however.
“I thought that after the 12 rounds, I won the fight like… My analysis is I won eight [rounds] to four,” said Pacquiao.
“It wasn’t necessarily about respect,” Barrios said about his inability to see off the older boxer. “It was just, you know… He still has a lot of crack. For his age, he was very explosive, tricky, and I just wasn’t trying to make a mistake by overcommitting on a shot that I wasn’t sure of.
“I prepared for the best Pacquiao, but he’s still tricky in there, still has so much experience and showed that tonight. You know, it was a really good learning experience for me. I’m still proud of everything I was able to do.”
Pacquiao was trying to break his own record as the oldest-ever welterweight champion, but he was unable to leave the MGM Grand with victory secured. In his previous pro bout, in 2021, he was outpointed by Yordenis Ugas in Vegas.
A shock move by Pacquiao could be a rematch with Floyd Mayweather, 48, who beat the Filipino in one of the most lucrative boxing matches of all time in 2015.
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“Manny is always ready,” Sean Gibbons, from Pacquiao’s promotional company, told Sky Sports. “After that performance last night, you better check with Floyd!”
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