Despite his WBC welterweight title bout against Mario Barrios ending in a majority draw on Sunday (Manila time) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, boxing icon Manny Pacquiao remains “our champ” , Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Lacson and Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya said.
“It may have ended in a draw, but for us, the Pambansang Kamao remains our champ,” Lacson said.
“Pacquiao, at 46, fought with heart, skill, and unmatched courage. He defied the odds and carried the pride of an entire nation”, the governor said.
Lacson expressed the province’s gratitude, adding, “Thank you, Manny, for raising our flag and making us proud.”
Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya echoed the sentiment in a Facebook post, “Though the fight ended in a draw, for us, you remain the victor. You stood toe-to-toe with a younger, taller opponent and gave everything you had for the honor of our country.”
“Once more, you have inspired strength, unity, and pride in every Filipino across the globe. We stand with you now and always,” he added.
“To our adopted son of Bacolod, thank you very much”, Gasataya said.
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.
While Barrios remains the WBC welterweight champion, 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.*With a report from PNA