Manny Pacquiao is making his return to the ring after four years as he takes on a younger Mario Barrios on July 20 (Philippine time).
HOLLYWOOD — Manny Pacquiao is turning 47 this December. On Saturday, he will challenge WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Perhaps the biggest question that hovers as Pacquiao’s ring return after a four-year retirement nears is, can he still fight at the top level at 46 years old?
READ: Manny Pacquiao ‘hungry’ for comeback after four-year layoff
Without a doubt, Pacquiao believes so.
“I always thought, even when I hung up my gloves, ‘I can still fight, I can still feel my body, I can still work hard,’” Pacquiao said during a press conference last month.
Pacquiao felt the long break did him more good than harm.
READ: Pacquiao resumes grind in Las Vegas, mindful of body at 46
At Pacquiao’s advanced age and all the mileage from fighting ever since he was 16 years old, the layoff was much needed.
“Four years rest has been good for me,” Pacquiao said. “I’ve been in boxing for so many decades, so it’s good for my body to rest for four years.”
Stepping away also reignited his passion for the sport.
“I’m hungry to fight again. I’m hungry to fight in a big fight like this. To work hard, have discipline, everything like that.”
“I’ve missed boxing. I feel like the passion, the fire in my eyes, working hard — it’s still there.”
When Pacquiao retired
Not long after his stunning loss to Cuba’s Yordenis Ugas, Pacquiao announced his retirement from boxing.
He then campaigned for the Philippine presidency in the 2022 general elections and finished a distant third.
Although he had hung up his gloves, Pacquiao was never really out of the boxing spotlight.
LIST: Boxing’s oldest champions Manny Pacquiao hopes to join
He figured in a couple of exhibition bouts while rumors about a potential comeback fight came up every once in a while.
Pacquiao’s first exhibition was against South Korean martial artist and YouTuber DK Yoo in Korea in December 2022.
He followed it up two years later in Saitama, Japan against former kickboxing champion Rukiya Anpo.
Pacquiao found himself back in politics but failed in his bid for Senate reelection last May in the 2025 midterm elections.
Shortly after, Pacquiao’s comeback fight was made official.
“Right now, the book of politics is closed,” Pacquiao said in an interview with The Associated Press during a press conference in Los Angeles. “It’s not even in my mind. I’m focusing on my career as a boxer again.”
Pacquiao’s last title fight
Manny Pacquiao (R) of the Philippines fights against Yordenis Ugas of Cuba during the WBA Welterweight Championship boxing match at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 21, 2021. (Photo by Patrick T. FALLON / AFP)
The last time Pacquiao fought as a pro, he relinquished the WBA belt to Ugas by unanimous decision in August 2021 and he looked far from the version of himself that knocked down and handed Keith Thurman the first loss of his career just two years prior.
His most recent ring appearance also didn’t go as planned.
READ: Manny Pacquiao says Anpo exhibition a ‘good tuneup’ for comeback
What was expected to be a light workout turned out to be a reality check after Anpo’s youth and size gave Pacquiao a hard time in their three-round exhibition.
“This is a good tuneup for me to come back in boxing. And I realized a lot of things to develop more and work on,” said Pacquiao.
At that time, Pacquiao was in talks to fight Barrios.
What people are saying about Pacquiao’s comeback
Some of Pacquiao’s former rivals have him defying the odds and beating Barrios on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
His fellow boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya, whom he stopped in their December 2008 showdown, is confident about Pacquiao’s chances.
“Absolutely. Manny Pacquiao’s a legend. I think he can do it,” De La Hoya said in a story on The Ring.
READ: Manny Pacquiao ‘can hurt’ Mario Barrios–Keith Thurman
Shane Mosley, who lost to Pacquiao by unanimous decision in their May 2011 clash for the WBO welterweight crown, thinks the eight-division champion still has what it takes to pull it off.
“Yeah, I can see him winning, his mind is there, physically he’s there, mentally he’s there, so why not?” Mosley said in an interview with EsNews.
His greatest nemesis, Juan Manuel Marquez, whom he shared the ring with in four epic encounters, warned Barrios about the risks of facing Pacquiao.
READ: Bernard Hopkins backs Manny Pacquiao to upset Mario Barrios
“Manny Pacquiao is a fighter who dedicates himself, a disciplined fighter. It’s not an easy fight for Mario Barrios,” Marquez said in an interview with ProBox TV.
Having fought both Pacquiao and Barrios, Keith Thurman thinks the former pound-for-pound king is still capable of causing serious trouble against Barrios.
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.
“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 the WBA belt to Pacquiao in July 2019 by split decision. He came back in the ring 19 months later and outclassed Barrios.
