Manny Pacquiao (62-8-3, 39 KOs) is a living legend. That’s beyond dispute. A world champion in no fewer than eight weight classes—the only fighter in history to do so—he’s a Hall of Famer and still a global icon in the boxing world.
But what could we realistically expect from his return to the ring, attempting to capture yet another world title at 46 years of age, after more than four years of inactivity? His last professional appearance was back in 2021, a points loss to Yordenis Ugas that seemed to close the book on his glorious career.
And yet, just hours ago, we saw him again as the main event attraction at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas—looking in reasonably good shape, all things considered. Still, as expected, what we witnessed was a diminished version of the great champion he once was.
Even so, Manny came close to pulling off the upset against Mario Barrios (29-2-2, 18 KOs), the American fighter of Mexican descent and current WBC welterweight titleholder. After 12 rounds, the judges declared the fight a draw, with scorecards reading 114-114 twice and 115-113. A controversial result, and in this writer’s opinion, one that only partially reflects what happened in the ring: a Pacquiao in decent shape, definitely focused, but too inconsistent and, as expected, far from his peak form. The scorecards may have been a bit generous to the extraordinary Filipino boxer.
Manny’s boxing style has always been highly physical—beyond his natural gifts and a technique that may be unorthodox but incredibly effective. His style is based on immense endurance, rapid-fire combinations thrown in bunches with whirling arms, and constant shifts in his axis of attack, which used to drive his opponents crazy as they were overwhelmed by punches coming from every angle. The physical energy Pacquiao expended during fights was such that it’s difficult to expect the same impact today—especially at an age when most fighters would be better off watching from the stands, particularly after years of inactivity.
At 30 years old and standing 182 cm tall, Mexican-American Barrios (29-2-1, 18 KOs) came into the ring with something to prove. After losing to Gervonta Davis and Keith Thurman, he claimed the WBC welterweight crown against Jovanie Santiago and defended it three times before a draw with Abel Ramos. His career isn’t exactly solidified and perhaps lacks wins over true elite opponents. This was a golden opportunity—to face a legendary figure, even if well past his prime, on a major stage.
Stylistically, the match went as expected: Manny launched sudden bursts of aggression, though less frequently—clearly trying to conserve energy and take breaths when needed—with noticeably slower speed than in his prime. Barrios relied on the jab, straight punches, and occasional body shots to manage the distance and keep the fight from turning into a mid- or close-range battle, leveraging his height and reach advantage. Mario is a disciplined fighter who usually avoids close exchanges, partly due to his lack of blazing speed. He also has a strong chin and has often recovered well from knockdowns.
At the opening bell, the fighters met in the center of the ring for a feeling-out phase, but Pacquiao’s solid condition became immediately clear: quick to throw punches and showcasing his usual world-class timing, which allowed him to land the straight left hand early and often.
In his corner, longtime trainer Freddie Roach—who’s coached Manny and many other champions—urged him to work more to the body and watch out for Barrios’s right hand, which could do serious damage. During the early rounds, Barrios frequently used his jab, mostly to keep the Filipino at bay. Pacquiao, in turn, quickly found success with the counter left hand, a punch that repeatedly gave Barrios trouble.
The key for Barrios was simply testing Pacquiao’s physical limits: avoid Manny’s explosive flurries and keep the fight at a manageable pace, steering clear of prolonged exchanges.
Barrios’s excellent jab defined the early stages of the bout, landing cleanly and often. The Mexican-American fighter showcased solid, sharp straight punches that gave Manny trouble. After the first two rounds, Pacquiao seemed to slow down, looking for the right key to unlock Barrios’s defense—specifically, the right angles to launch his attacks. Barrios kept working efficiently with his straight shots, occasionally going to the body, and appeared in control for the first half of the fight.
Still, Manny showed he was fully engaged: perhaps not always well balanced, certainly not as consistent as before, but still incredibly competitive.
Starting midway through the fifth round, spurred on by the roar of the crowd, Manny began to let his hands go more and move with greater urgency—though nowhere near the frenetic pace of his prime.
The fight largely unfolded in the center of the ring—a true tactical battle for distance control. Barrios looked to keep Pacquiao at mid-to-long range, while Manny constantly tried to close the gap and unleash his trademark two-handed flurries. The reach advantage was significant enough to clearly dictate the strategic choices of both fighters.
Manny’s output came in sporadic bursts—partly due to a real struggle to bring back the speed and explosiveness that defined his glory years, and partly because of Barrios’s solid game plan. The younger fighter stayed on his toes, ready to counter with well-timed straight shots. However, Barrios’s work rate wasn’t high enough to decisively take over the fight or wear Manny down, and the Filipino icon used that to his advantage by managing his energy wisely.
In the eighth round, Pacquiao was briefly able to bring the fight into close quarters, and it became clear to everyone that in order to win, he would have to take risks—shorten the distance and let his hands go.
“Beautiful combination, great job,” trainer Freddie Roach told him, firing him up for the final stretch of the fight, fully aware that Manny would need to dig deep to pull off the upset.
But Father Time rarely lies, and though the extraordinary Filipino warrior gave it everything he had, he simply couldn’t sustain the kind of offensive consistency that once made him a whirlwind in the ring. His attacks came in brief spurts, allowing Barrios enough time to recover and reset.
Even so, Barrios seemed content to manage the fight—perhaps wary of a trademark Pacquiao surge, or convinced he had done enough in terms of volume and ring generalship to secure the win.
The championship rounds opened with a sharp, extended combination from Barrios, catching Pacquiao a little flat-footed. But Manny answered back right away with short one-two combos—jab-straight left—showing he still intended to fight to the very end.
The final round confirmed what we’d seen all night: Barrios focused, cautious, avoiding any wild exchanges or risky flurries, while Manny poured out whatever energy he had left, landing short combinations mostly to the head.
In this writer’s opinion, the draw was perhaps a bit generous toward Pacquiao—not to take anything away from an incredible boxer who showed both courage and flashes of real quality. To go twelve full rounds against a reigning world champion, sixteen years younger and far less worn, is already a remarkable feat.
And knowing Manny, he just might try again.
As for Barrios, he showed solid fundamentals but seemed content to play it safe—maintaining control without that extra spark that could have sealed an indisputable win.
Now the question is: will they meet again to settle it once and for all?