On July 14, former senator and returning boxer Manny Pacquiao drove roughly 270 miles from Los Angeles to Las Vegas ahead of his July 19 fight with Mario Barrios at the MGM Grand. The four-hour drive brings the former champion closer to stepping into the ring with Barrios, who is the current welterweight title holder.
Pacquiao, the only eight-division world champion in the history of boxing, initially retired in 2021 to focus on his political career. However, after falling short in his 2022 presidential bid and 2025 senatorial bid, he officially announced his decision to step out of retirement to uphold his boxing legacy. On June 8, Pacquiao was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame alongside major boxing figures such as “The Pazmanian Devil” Vinny Paz, Michael “Second To” Nunn, and Yessica “Kika” Chavez.
Although Pacquiao hasn’t thrown a punch in a competitive boxing ring in four years, he has spent the past two months training in Los Angeles. “Hard to compare but it’s the same intense training at nagagawa ko pa rin ang pagakyat sa Hollywood sign,” he said in an interview with PhilStar. “Ang ginawa kong adjustment ngayon, not like before, ay body recovery para hindi mag-burn out.”
While it may be too soon to say who will come out on top in the fight between 46-year-old Pacquiao and 29-year-old Barrios, the Filipino boxer is not without his supporters.
“The most important thing is experience, [and] experience is Manny Pacquiao,” said fellow International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee and former opponent Juan Manuel Marquez in an interview with The Manila Times.
“This fight is dangerous,” added Marquez. “It’s dangerous for both fighters. Manny Pacquiao is 46 years old, but he’s professional. He’s training hard every day.”
