Don’t look now, but boxing’s only eight division champion is attempting a return to glory.
According to Sean Gibbons, the president of Manny Pacquiao Promotions, the pride of the Philippines is targeting a fight with WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios late this year or early in 2025.
Now 45 years old, Pacquiao last fought on August 2021 when he lost a 12-round decision to Yordenis Ugas. Pacquiao was initially scheduled to fight Errol Spence but that bout was canceled when Spence injured an eye during training.
Last month, Pacquiao fought an exhibition match against kickboxer Rukiya Anpo in Japan. Promoted by Rizin Fighting Federation, that bout ended in a draw with Pacquiao’s performance getting mixed reviews.
“Not sure how hard Manny Pacquiao trained for this exhibition, or if it is just what’s left of his 45-year old body. Did nothing at all to make me want to see him fight against a solid welterwight,” respected boxing writer Jake Donovan of The Ring posted on X, the soclal media platform formerly known as Twitter.
Pacquiao;s distingushed record stands at 62-8-2, with 39 KOs while Barrios has a 29-2 card with 18 stoppages.
Barrios, however, is only 29 years old.
“I’m very excited at the possibility of this fight being made. Manny Pacquiao is a future Hall of Famer, a legend and someone I looked up to growing up. To share the ring with him would be an honor and a dream come true,” Barrios told ESPN.
