LAS VEGAS — Manny Pacquiao’s name still carries weight in the world of boxing. An eight-division champion, a global icon, and now a Hall of Famer, Pacquiao is once again stepping into the ring — but his July 19 opponent, Mario Barrios, isn’t rattled.
Barrios, the reigning WBC welterweight champion, acknowledges Pacquiao’s legendary status. But when the bell rings at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, all of that goes out the window.
“I respect everything he’s done — inside and outside the ring,” Barrios said during a media workout at Pound 4 Pound Gym in Las Vegas. “He’s a legend, no doubt. But come fight night, all that respect disappears. He’s just another man trying to take what’s mine.”
Barrios (29-2-1, 18 KOs) won the WBC interim title in 2023 and was promoted to full champion in May 2024. At 30 years old, he’s in his prime — fast, hungry, and determined to prove he belongs among the sport’s elite. Pacquiao, now 46 and returning from a nearly four-year retirement, represents both a threat and an opportunity.
“Getting the fight was surreal at first,” Barrios admitted. “But once training camp started, I flipped the switch. I’m not preparing for a legend — I’m preparing for a man trying to take my belt.”
Barrios enters the bout with a clear edge in youth and momentum. His last few outings have shown steady improvement, and this will be his second defense of the WBC welterweight crown. Pacquiao, on the other hand, hasn’t fought since a disappointing loss to Yordenis Ugas in 2021. That loss, coupled with a failed Senate comeback in the Philippines earlier this year, set the stage for his surprise return to the sport.
Despite the 16-year age gap and the noise surrounding Pacquiao’s comeback, Barrios insists his approach hasn’t changed.
“This is just another fight to me,” he said bluntly. “It doesn’t matter who he is or what he’s done. I know who I’m up against. I’m not underestimating him, but I’m not putting him on a pedestal either.”
Both fighters have promised fireworks. The build-up has been respectful, but Barrios made it clear that things will shift on fight night.
“It’s all smiles now, but once we step in that ring, it’s business. I’m going in there with bad intentions,” Barrios said. “He’s coming to take my title — and I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
