Boxing fans are divided as Manny Pacquiao gears up for a shocking return to the ring at age 46, but one man who’s leaning toward belief rather than doubt is fellow Filipino boxing great Nonito Donaire.
Speaking to Fight Hype, Donaire shared his thoughts on Pacquiao’s July 19 title bout against WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. While many question whether Pacquiao can still compete at the elite level after a nearly four-year absence, Donaire isn’t counting him out.
“Barrios is a tall guy and he’s a tough guy,” Donaire acknowledged. “But I’m going to give the benefit of the doubt to Pacquiao. He’s a champion — the only eight-division champion in boxing history. He knows how to fight, he knows how to win. So you always have to give him that chance.”
Donaire, himself a four-division world champion and one of the most respected voices in the sport, pointed out that Pacquiao’s success against the 30-year-old Barrios won’t hinge on doing anything flashy — just smart.
“I would say use your speed, use your feints. You don’t have to throw every wild punch in the book. If you can, go ahead, but at this stage, less is more,” Donaire advised. “The thing is, at 46, your body can’t always keep up with what your mind wants to do. But with Pacquiao’s experience and ring IQ, he doesn’t need to overwhelm — he just needs to outthink and outmaneuver.”
For Donaire, it all comes down to how sharp and focused Pacquiao looks on fight night. “Who shows up in the ring is the biggest question,” he said. “Is it the Pacquiao who still has the fire and the hunger to win, or is it the version who’s just testing the waters? That’s what we’ll find out.”
Still, Donaire believes that if Pacquiao taps into the same formula that’s carried him through over two decades of success — speed, movement, timing — he can make this a very competitive fight.
“If he stays disciplined, uses those quick in-and-out attacks and makes Barrios hesitate with good feints, it changes the whole dynamic,” he added. “He just needs to be smart and be the Manny that made people afraid to open up.”
No wild predictions or overhyped claims from Donaire — just a grounded belief that the legend still has something left in the tank. “I think he’s going to do well in that fight,” Donaire said. “He just needs to fight smart, fight like Manny.”
