Fillipino boxer Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao (R) spars with one of his trainers during a media day workout at Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles on June 25, 2025. Manny Pacquiao will take on US boxer Mario “El Azteca” Barrios for the WBC welterweight title on July 19, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines–Former unified welterweight world champion Keith Thurman said the outcome of Manny Pacquiao’s world title fight against Mario Barrios will largely depend on the Filipino ring legend’s fitness level.

Pacquiao, 46, came out of a four-year retirement to challenge Barrios, who is risking his WBC welterweight crown on July 19 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

READ: Mario Barrios bracing for ‘best version’ of Manny Pacquiao

“It’s hard to know, with the age of Pacquiao, what we’re gonna get from him. But I’ll tell you this, depending on his conditioning, depending on how much he can pop in on that in-step that he brought to me, that notorious fast in-step if he can pop that and if he can get in, I know he can hurt Mario Barrios,” said Thurman in an interview with Boxing247.

“I hurt Mario Barrios on multiple occasions, Tank [Davis] hurt him, so I know Pacquiao can hurt Barrios.”

Thurman lost his WBA title to Pacquiao by split decision in a gripping bout six years ago. Pacquiao, who became the oldest welterweight world champion at that time at 40 years old, delivered a throwback performance, even sending Thurman to the canvas in the opening round.

Pacquiao, however, hasn’t won since. In his last pro fight, Pacquiao suffered a stunning defeat to Cuba’s Yordenis Ugas in August 2021.

READ: Mario Barrios unfazed by Pacquiao’s prestige: ‘He’s just another man’

Thurman also shared the ring with Barrios, whom he outclassed in February 2022.

The 36-year-old Thurman describes Barrios (29-2-1, 18KOs) as an easy target but adds that things can get tricky for Pacquiao (62-8-2, 39KOs) if the taller Barrios uses his length to his advantage.

“That’s the big thing in Pacquiao’s favor; Barrios was hurt against [Abel] Ramos, and that’s the thing, the defense of Barrios is still suspect. He’s not hard to find,” said Thurman.

Barrios barely hung on to his title against an unheralded Abel Ramos eight months ago. Barrios settled for a split draw in a fight that saw both fighters get knocked down.

“But one thing I took away, even though I beat him, is that he has a really good jab. He used that jab when he beat [Yordenis] Ugas, and Ugas beat Pacquiao because he stayed long. So I think if Barrios works that jab of his, makes the old man use his legs and work really hard to get inside, I think he can pull it off.”