Errol Spence Jr and Manny Pacquiao are in the running for a shot at the WBC welterweight championship. Mario Barrios, the current titleholder, might face one of these big names in his next defense.
Spence Jr, 35, last stepped into the ring in 2023. He suffered a 9th round stoppage defeat to Terence Crawford in their undisputed welterweight championship bout at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Since then, he's hinted at a return, possibly at a higher weight class.
On the other hand, Pacquiao, the 46-year-old Filipino legend, hasn't fought since 2021. He lost to Yordenis Ugas, who outpointed him for the WBA welterweight title. After that fight, Pacquiao announced his retirement. But now, he's open to a comeback.
Barrios, 29, got elevated to full WBC champion after Crawford moved up in weight. His last fight in November against Abel Ramos ended in a draw.
Bob Santos, Barrios' trainer, shared some thoughts on the situation:
"You know I don't really know what's going on. We'll see how it plays out. I mean everything's on the table, but they're [promoters Premier Boxing Champions] talking about Spence."
When asked about a potential Barrios vs Pacquiao matchup, Santos said:
"I think it's great anytime your name can be mentioned with Manny Pacquiao. That's always a good thing. I think it would be a tremendous fight for the fans. Pacquiao always keeps himself in great shape, as does Barrios. Styles make fights, and I think it would be a tremendous fight."
Spence and Pacquiao came close to fighting each other before. A long-rumored fight between Pacquiao and Barrios got put on the back burner due to Pacquiao's political commitments and campaigns.
We'll likely hear an announcement about Barrios' next fight in the coming weeks. Whether it's against Spence, Pacquiao, or someone else, it's sure to grab the attention of boxing fans worldwide.
