Manny Pacquiao Returns to the Ring to Face Mario Barrios
Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao will end his nearly four-year retirement to face Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight championship on July 19 in Las Vegas.
The fight will be broadcast via PBC on Prime Video pay-per-view.
Pacquiao, 46, last fought in August 2021, losing by unanimous decision to Yordenis Ugas for the WBA (Super) welterweight championship.
After the defeat, Pacquiao announced his retirement on social media to focus primarily on his political career. However, the first and only eight-division world champion in boxing has closely followed the sport that made him a household name.
Rumors about his return have been circulating for the past year. In July 2024, Pacquiao competed in a boxing exhibition match against kickboxer Rukiya Anpo at Super RIZIN 3.
Pacquiao’s name has been linked to a comeback fight with Barrios since the end of last year.
At this moment, Mario Barrios is going to face Manny Pacquiao in July. That’s a tremendous fight.
Mauricio Sulaiman, WBC president
The first and only eight-division boxing champion is scheduled to be inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame next month. He is also in the midst of a tight senatorial race in the Philippines, where he previously served as a senator from 2016 to 2022.
According to reports, Pacquiao will not formally announce his return to boxing until after the May 12 elections. However, all signs and sources point to Pacquiao’s announcement being a formality, as his return to boxing is imminent.
Barrios (29-2-1, 18 KOs), fighting out of San Antonio, last fought Abel Ramos on the undercard of Jake Paul’s decision victory over Mike Tyson. He won the WBC interim title in September 2023, when he outpointed Ugas and was elevated to full champion in June 2024 after Terence Crawford was designated “champion in recess” by the WBC.
Barrios’ only two losses have been against Gervonta Davis and Keith Thurman.
The co-main event will be a rematch between unified super welterweight champion Sebastian Fundora (22-1-1, 14 KOs), and Tim Tszyu (25-2, 18 KOs).
The two previously faced each other on March 30, 2024. Tszyu was originally scheduled to face Keith Thurman, but an injury forced Thurman to withdraw less than two weeks before the scheduled date. Fundora stepped in as a last-minute replacement and won by split decision in an upset.
TGB Promotions currently has the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on hold for July 19.
