The sounds that define Wild Card Boxing Club have returned.
The thunderous thwacks against the heavy bag. The vicious grunts of a man expending every bit of force into the blows.
Record eight-division champion and impending International Hall of Fame member Manny Pacquiao is back in the game, intent once more to reign as welterweight champion.
This time, at age 46.
“I’m still excited for it, and I’m enjoying all the training,” Pacquiao 62-8-2 (39 KOs) told BoxingScene. “I still have the passion like before, so I’m excited I don’t have to worry about that.”
Pacquiao moved on quickly from his May 12 election loss for a return trip to the Philippines Senate, committing to fight WBC 147lbs champion Mario Barrios Jnr 29-2-1 (18 KOs) of San Antonio.
Barrios is 30.
“I’m confident I’ll win the fight,” Pacquiao said. “But I’m not taking it lightly and not underestimating him. I have to punish myself as I’ve done before in training.”
Working under Hall of Fame cornerman Freddie Roach and returning to the grueling conditioning regimen that made he and Floyd Mayweather Jnr the top fighters of this century, Pacquiao said his dedicated routine will lead to a far superior performance than the two lackluster exhibition fights he undertook since his 2021 welterweight title loss by decision to Cuba’s Yordenis Ugas.
“I just trained one week for those, so… ,” Pacquiao said. “They can all expect a good Manny Pacquiao.
“I know the fans are excited to watch Manny Pacquiao again. I will do my best, and that’s why I’m doing [this] in training, doing all the hard work like I did before in the gym. I’m here to put up a good fight. I won’t let the fans down.”
Pacquiao has been boosted further this week by the world-title victories of two fighters he promotes, Mexico’s super-flyweight Willibaldo Garcia and countryman Pedro Taduran, a minimumweight fighter.
“I’m excited and happy for them and happy that I can help others reach my goal,” Pacquiao said.
Defeating Barrios would give Pacquiao his 13th welterweight title victory since first having the WBO strap wrapped around his waist following a 12th-round technical knockout of Hall of Fame four-division champion Miguel Cotto way back in 2009.
Feeling that again is something that has occupied Pacquiao’s thoughts often in recent weeks.
“It means a lot to come back, and I asked that of the Lord,” Pacquiao said of reclaiming a world title at the second-most advanced age in the sport’s history.
Some are expecting him to do it, including new secondary WBA welterweight champion Rolly Romero, who has called for a showdown with a victorious Pacquiao.
Would Pacquiao consider fighting after Barrios?
“I don’t know. One at a time. I need to focus on this one fight,” he said.