Manny Pacquiao and Mario Barrios trade punches in a heated exchange during their WBC welterweight title bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Sunday*photo courtesy of Premier Boxing Champions
Manny Pacquiao fell short of pulling off a stunner in his comeback fight against Mario Barrios, as their WBC welterweight title bout ended in a majority draw on Sunday (Manila time) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The judges scored the 12-round title clash 115-113 for Barrios, and 114-114 on two scorecards, allowing the 30-year-old American to retain his crown.
It was Pacquiao’s first fight since announcing his comeback and his first professional bout since 2021.
Pacquiao, 46, showed glimpses of his vintage form, particularly in the early and middle rounds, where he pressed the action and unleashed flurries that recalled his prime years.
He started strong in the opening two rounds, landing combinations and staying aggressive.
Barrios, however, settled into a rhythm by the third, relying on crisp jabs and effective counters to slow Pacquiao down.
The Filipino boxing icon picked up the pace in rounds eight through 10, attacking from all angles and thrilling the crowd with bursts of speed and power.
However, the younger Barrios regained control in the final two rounds, capitalizing on Pacquiao’s slowed output.
Despite the draw, Pacquiao, boxing’s only eight-division champion, impressed fans with his performance at his age, proving he could still compete at the elite level.
Barrios remains the WBC welterweight champion, but the close decision leaves the door open for a potential rematch.
“I thought I won the fight… Of course, I’d like a rematch. I want to leave a legacy and make the Filipino people proud,” Pacquiao said in his post-fight interview.
Barrios also expressed openness to face the boxing hall-of-famer again.
“I’ll do the rematch. Absolutely. This was huge for boxing. I’d love to do it again,” he said.*PNA