Manny Pacquiao gets ready to lace up his gloves once more. The Filipino boxing legend will face WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios on Saturday, July 19, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Keith Thurman, who's fought both men, shared his thoughts on the matchup. Thurman lost his WBA crown to Pacquiao in the summer of 2019 and defeated Barrios in 2022 after a three-year break from the ring.
Pacquiao's last professional fight ended in a shock defeat to Yordenis Ugas four years ago. He retired a few months later to focus on his political career. Now, at 46, he's making a comeback that could see him break his own record as the oldest world welterweight champion.
Speaking to MillCity Boxing, Thurman gave Barrios the edge due to Pacquiao's long time away from the ring. He thinks Barrios can box smart to gain an advantage.
"Now coming off of another lay-off, I think Mario Barrios can box smart and get the best of him. The dangerous thing is Mario Barrios is there to be hit, you know I caught him, I rocked him, Tank got him with a body shot and you know Pacquiao is still gonna have some clippers you know what I'm saying? So if he clips the chin, if he clips the body right, I think he has an opportunity of hurting Barrios, but not sure what the speed's going to look like at this time."
Thurman pointed out that Barrios can be vulnerable to hits. He recalled rocking Barrios himself, and mentioned that Gervonta 'Tank' Davis caught him with a body shot. Pacquiao, Thurman believes, still has the power to hurt Barrios. The big question mark hangs over Pacquiao's speed after his long break.
This comeback might be a step too far for Pacquiao at his age. But if he pulls it off, he'll set a new record as the oldest world welterweight champion. The boxing world waits with bated breath to see if the Filipino legend has one more miracle left in him.
