Returning to the ring at the age of 46, legend Pacquiao affirms: 'I think I won'

Nearly four years after retiring from the ring, Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao made an impressive comeback when he fought WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios on the evening of July 19 (US time) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas.

At the age of 46, Pacquiao made everyone admire him when he competed fairly with an opponent 16 years younger than him. With speed, technique and extensive experience, "Pacman" continuously created pressure and dominated at many important moments.

However, the historic victory did not materialize as the match ended in a majority draw: two judges scored it 114-114, the remaining judge scored it 115-113 for Barrios. Barrios thus retained the WBC welterweight belt.

“I think I won,” Pacquiao said. “The match was very close, my opponent was very tough. But I believe I did enough to win.”

Legendary spirit never fades

Pacquiao currently has a record of 62 wins, 9 losses and 2 draws, and was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame last month. He previously set a record as the oldest welterweight champion when he defeated Keith Thurman in 2019 at the age of 40.

The fight with Barrios is Pacquiao's first time in the ring since losing to Yordenis Ugas in 2021.

According to statistics from Compubox, Barrios landed more punches (120 to 101), but Pacquiao had the edge in terms of the number of powerful punches (81 to 75). In the middle rounds of the 12 rounds, especially from rounds 7 to 9, Pacquiao performed brilliantly with powerful left-hand punches.

However, in the last 3 rounds, Barrios fought back strongly, winning absolute points on all three scorecards, the key thing that helped him avoid defeat.

“I don't think I'm losing, but I understand that I have to speed up to keep the belt," Barrios shared.

The majority of the audience at the MGM Grand booed loudly after the results were announced.

Barrios takes off his hat: 'Honored to fight Manny'

Barrios (30 years old) from San Antonio (Texas), has a record of 29 wins, 2 losses and 2 draws. Before the match, he was rated higher, but did not create an overwhelming performance as expected.

“It was an honor to fight Pacquiao. It was the biggest event of my career. I gave it my all and I have a lot of respect for Manny,” Barrios said. “His stamina is incredible. Still strong, precise and extremely unpredictable.”

Both fighters have expressed their desire to fight again in the future. For Pacquiao, the dream of leaving a legacy lies not only in achievements, but also in a message to the next generation: “I hope this is an inspiration for young fighters. If you have discipline and work hard, you can still compete at the top, even when you are old."