Rumours of Manny Pacquiao returning have been swirling for a long time, and they’ve never surprised me.
Fighting him in 2014 meant that I experienced the Pacquiao mania first hand. When he moves, an entire nation in the Philippines is behind him – he’s a globally-known star to the extent that there’s so much money involved in anything involving him. He’s also one of the very few living legends the sport can offer – and he’s a warrior. Fighting is what he does.
When he’s not fighting, he’s forever trying to fill his time, but fighting, ultimately, is what he wants to do. Unusually, the people around him appear to care more about his health than he does – Pacquiao instead appears to have a romantic view of a fighter’s existence. When other people worry about Pacquiao, he simply shrugs his shoulders and wants to fight. It’s what he’s always done and what he knows – he doesn’t appear to have much interest in a life after boxing.
I remember talking to Freddie Roach, and him telling me he never liked the idea of Pacquiao fighting Terence Crawford or Errol Spence, because of the combination of their size and youth, but Pacquiao had no reluctance whatsoever. That’s just the way he is.
Confirmation of his return, on July 19 against Mario Barrios in a fight for Barrios’ WBC welterweight title, regardless angered me. Why, after four years of inactivity – which followed a defeat by Yordenis Ugas in which he didn’t look good – is he being allowed to cut the line and step right into a world-title fight? Barrios has long been seen as beatable by active contenders desperate for their shot. Once again, the WBC are making it up as they go.
The reality, regardless, is that the existing welterweight division is lacking in excitement. Jaron “Boots” Ennis is the number one, but the remainder of the top 10 would struggle to challenge him. For the first time in a while, rightly or wrongly, Pacquiao’s presence again makes the welterweight landscape worthy of attention.
The reality is also that Pacquiao is 46 years old, has had 72 fights, and has fought 498 rounds. That’s a lot of training camps, a lot of weight making, and a lot of wear and tear. He was also an aggressive fighter who, at his best, took risks and relied on his explosiveness and intensity – abilities that are among the first to go.
If he is to succeed against Barrios, he’s not only going to have to fight and make weight for the first time in four years, he’s going to have to shed four years of ring rust, rediscover his sense of timing, and risk taking punches to the head at the age of 46. It’s natural for people to be concerned.
I suspect we’ll see in the opening rounds at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand if he’s capable of being competitive. He could well look an old man straight away.
Barrios has to be favourite. He has youth and activity on his side, and for the biggest fight of his career can be expected to be at his best. I’ve already thought about “Sugar” Ray Leonard returning to fight, and lose to, Terry Norris in 1991, when he was badly beaten up. And unfortunately, if something similar happens to Pacquiao against Barrios, he’ll just be seen as another former, faded champion who took one too many risks.
Pacquiao had the perfect chance to retire on a high when he impressively defeated Keith Thurman in 2019. But his career almost wouldn’t be complete if he didn’t make the same mistake almost every great champion does of fighting on for too long. Fighters are self-centred and egomaniacal – they’re always driven to enter at least one more fight.
But Pacquiao was a truly special fighter. He’s also the best I ever fought. And while the odds may be stacked against him, I’m convinced he can win – and that makes him fighting Barrios very intriguing.
Barrios is a limited fighter at that level and, stylistically, exactly the type of fighter Pacquiao favours sharing the ring with. Pacquiao has always been more comfortable against taller fighters than he was against those of the same height or shorter than him – see his performances against Oscar De La Hoya and Antonio Margarito. He’s also happier against fighters who are front-foot heavy – like Barrios is – and those, like Barrios, who don’t vary their jab.
Pacquiao has a fighting chance on July 19. It’s right that Barrios is the favourite, but Pacquiao can pull this off.