Manny Pacquiao is getting ready to step back into the ring. The boxing legend will fight for the WBC welterweight title against Mario Barrios this July.
Pacquiao, now 46 years old, hasn't fought since August 2021. That night in Las Vegas, he lost a unanimous decision to Yordenis Ugas for the WBA welterweight title. But 'Pac-Man' never officially announced his retirement, and now he's set for a historic comeback.
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed the news in an interview with Boxing King Media.
"Mario Barrios is going to fight Manny Pacquiao in July. That's a tremendous fight… It was released [by] PBC. His first title was at flyweight in the WBC, he wants to retire as the WBC champion so he's fighting in the welterweight division."
Pacquiao's pro career kicked off over 25 years ago. He's won world titles in eight weight divisions, starting with the WBC flyweight belt. Along the way, he's beaten some of boxing's biggest names like Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez, Tim Bradley, and Miguel Cotto.
In May 2015, Pacquiao faced Floyd Mayweather in one of the biggest fights in boxing history. Now, he's got a chance to break his own record as the oldest welterweight world champion.
Barrios, the current WBC welterweight champion, will defend his title against Pacquiao. He last fought in November, keeping his belt after a split decision draw with Abel Ramos.
Pacquiao and Barrios have been linked to a potential fight for several years. For Barrios, this match-up offers a huge opportunity to showcase his skills to a massive audience.
While the fight is set to happen, it hasn't been officially announced yet. Boxing fans around the world will be eagerly waiting for more details about this exciting comeback.
