Mario Barrios, left, and Manny Pacquiao one for a photo after fighting to a majority draw in a welterweight title boxing match Saturday, July 19, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
MANILA, Philippines — Current and former world boxing champions couldn’t believe Manny Pacquiao’s comeback against Mario Barrios ended in majority draw on Sunday night (Manila time) at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Many believe the 46-year-old Pacquiao clearly won, while some had no qualms about the judges’ scores, where one had it 115-113 for Barrios while the other two saw it even at 114-114.
READ: Famished, Manny Pacquiao stops at fastfood for express fix
Keith Thurman, whom Pacquiao beat in 2019 for the WBA welterweight title, knew that it’s going to be a majority draw, claiming that “Vegas won’t let Pacquiao lose.”
“Mario Barrios has a good jab. His strength is his poise. He stayed poised and composed the whole time. His jab was really good tonight. He needs to make the old man use his legs. He did,” said Thurman in an interview with FightHype.com after winning his draw bet.
“Pacquiao, he was popping in, but he was getting caught a little bit on the way out. It don’t matter what you think. There’s three judges and they’re different every single day, every fight. Those three judges, that’s all that matters. The fight’s over it is what it is.”
READ: Manny Pacquiao says he’s going to rumble some more
Thurman said Pacquiao wasn’t the fighter he once was, but still has the potential to have better conditioning after coming out of a four-year retirement.
Reigning WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson couldn’t believe the result.
“Decision was crazy,” he said on X.
READ: Punch stats give edge to Barrios over Pacquiao in disputed draw
Two-time welterweight world champion Shawn Porter was anticipating a “split decision,” posting a cryptic tweet after the announcement was made.
“Yeah, I knew the BS was comin’. I’m sick,” Porter wrote.
Former champions Danny “Swift” Garcia and Stephen Fulton Jr. were both convinced that Pacquiao won.
“Manny won that fight,” Garcia wrote.
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.
“Pac-Man won,” Fulton Jr. expressed on X.
