At 46 years old, Pacquiao's return comes as a surprise to many. The Filipino legend hasn't fought in over four years, with his last bout ending in a loss to Yordenis Ugas in 2021. His most recent victory dates back to 2019 when he captured the WBA welterweight title from Keith Thurman.
That win against Thurman was a milestone for Pacquiao. At 40 years old, he became the oldest welterweight champion in boxing history. Now, he's looking to break his own record.
Pacquiao's opponent, Mario Barrios, recently faced Keith Thurman in a non-title showdown. Thurman came out on top and had some interesting things to say about both fighters afterward.
"Somebody lands a good shot, they land a good shot and body shots are just different, but it is interesting if I breathe deeply I still kinda just feel awkward in the body region, like I said I felt tenderness before I was even touched tonight so that one shot definitely awakened a little sensation of discomfort and pain but it wasn't the hardest I've ever been hit."
Thurman said this about Barrios' body shots during a post-fight press conference. He described them as good, but not the hardest he's felt.
When it comes to Pacquiao, Thurman's description was quite different. In a separate interview, he compared Pacquiao's punches to "bricks" and said his fists felt heavy and hard.
"Pacquiao? It's weird. Danny Garcia felt like a big brick, Pacquiao felt like a little brick. Okay now the weird part is Pacquiao's hands just felt heavy, after the fight I constantly was thinking 'Why did his fists feel like a rock?', it was like awkward right? I was like 'Why did his fists feel so hard?'"
These comments give us a glimpse into what Barrios might face when he steps into the ring with Pacquiao. Despite his age and time away from the sport, Pacquiao's power seems to have left a lasting impression on past opponents.
If Pacquiao manages to defeat Barrios, he'll write another chapter in his already legendary career. He'll extend his own record as the oldest welterweight champion in boxing history. It's a tall order, but if anyone can do it, it's Manny Pacquiao.