At 46 years old, boxing legend Manny Pacquiao stepped back into the spotlight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, aiming to claim his 13th world title and become the oldest welterweight champion in boxing history. Facing WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios, Pacquiao fought with the same fire and determination that has defined his legendary career — but victory narrowly slipped away.
The bout ended in a majority draw:
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One judge scored it 115–113 for Barrios
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Two judges had it 114–114
This result allowed the 30-year-old Barrios (29-2-2, 18 KOs) to retain his WBC belt.
“I thought I won the fight,” Pacquiao said afterward. “It was close. My opponent was very tough… it was a wonderful fight.”
Pacquiao (62-8-3, 39 KOs), who was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame just last month, came out strong, controlling much of the early rounds. He showed impressive energy and speed for his age, landing 81 power punches compared to Barrios’ 75. However, CompuBox stats favored Barrios overall, with the younger champion landing 120 total punches to Pacquiao’s 101 and 45 jabs to Pacquiao’s 20.
By the end of the 10th round, Pacquiao was ahead on all three scorecards. But Barrios staged a late surge, winning all three of the final rounds on all cards to avoid the upset.
Reflecting on the fight, Pacquiao acknowledged the challenges of returning to championship-level boxing after a late start to training due to his senatorial campaign in the Philippines.
“I need to continue my training for longer going into a championship fight,” he said. “Because of the election, I started late… but it’s OK. Of course, I’d like a rematch. I want to leave a legacy and make the Filipino people proud.”
