Manny Pacquiao will step back into the ring on July 19 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The 46-year-old boxer plans to fight Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight world title.
Pacquiao's last fight happened almost four years ago when he lost to Yordenis Ugas. Since then, he's been busy with his political career in the Philippines. He couldn't run for a third term as a senator, so now he's turning his attention back to boxing.
The MGM Grand holds a special place in Pacquiao's career. He made his US debut there in 2001, surprising everyone with his intense boxing style. Now, he's returning to the same venue to face a much younger opponent.
Barrios, who's 17 years younger than Pacquiao, has a record of 29 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw. He's lost to big names like Gervonta Davis and Keith Thurman.
Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's long-time trainer, will be in his corner for this comeback fight. The duo has been one of the most famous boxer-trainer partnerships in boxing history.
"Manny's hand speed is still incredible," Roach said. "But we'll have to see how his reflexes hold up and if he can take punches like he used to."
Pacquiao's age is a big factor in this fight. At 46, he's part of a select group of world champions who've fought past 40. He's beaten 22 fighters who were or had been world champions - just one less than Floyd Mayweather's record.
But age isn't the only challenge. Pacquiao has been out of the ring for a long time. The pandemic forced him to take a break, and then he focused on running for president in the Philippines.
In his last fight against Ugas, Pacquiao looked slower than usual and struggled against a tough but beatable opponent. Now, he'll have to prove he still has what it takes to compete at the highest level.
The odds are stacked against Pacquiao, but fans are eager to see if he can still bring the speed and power that made him famous. His social media videos show he's still got fast hands, but a real fight is a different story.
Pacquiao won't break Bernard Hopkins' record of unifying titles at 49 years old, but a win would be impressive. He'll need all his experience and skill to overcome Barrios and claim another world title.
