Manny Pacquiao’s highly anticipated comeback fight against Mario Barrios ended in a majority draw on Sunday (Manila time) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, falling just short of a stunning victory in their WBC welterweight title bout.
The judges scored the 12-round title clash 115-113 in favor of Barrios, with two scorecards reading 114-114, allowing the 30-year-old American to retain his championship title. This marked Pacquiao’s first fight since announcing his return to the ring and his first professional bout since 2021.
At 46 years old, Pacquiao showcased flashes of his vintage form, particularly in the early and middle rounds, where he pressed the action and delivered flurries reminiscent of his prime years. He started strong, landing combinations and maintaining an aggressive approach in the opening two rounds.
However, Barrios found his rhythm by the third round, utilizing crisp jabs and effective counters to slow Pacquiao’s momentum. The Filipino boxing icon picked up the pace again in rounds eight through ten, attacking from various angles and thrilling the crowd with bursts of speed and power.
Despite Pacquiao’s efforts, Barrios regained control in the final two rounds, taking advantage of Pacquiao’s decreased output.
Although the fight ended in a draw, Pacquiao, recognized as boxing’s only eight-division champion, impressed fans with his performance at his age, demonstrating that he could still compete at an elite level.
Barrios remains the WBC welterweight champion, but the close decision leaves the possibility of a rematch open.
“I thought I won the fight… Of course, I’d like a rematch. I want to leave a legacy and make the Filipino people proud,” Pacquiao stated in his post-fight interview.
Barrios also expressed his willingness to face the boxing hall-of-famer again, saying, “I’ll do the rematch. Absolutely. This was huge for boxing. I’d love to do it again.”