Pacquiao's last professional fight happened over four years ago. He lost a unanimous decision to Yordenis Ugas, who held the WBA world welterweight championship at the time. After that defeat, Pacquiao said he'd retire from boxing.
Bernard Hopkins, who knows a thing or two about fighting at an advanced age, thinks Pacquiao can pull off an upset. Hopkins held a world title at 175 pounds when he was 49, making him the oldest champion in boxing history.
I'm rooting for Manny because I know if anyone can do it, it's him. I think Barrios is a B-plus [fighter]… yes, [Pacquiao's] got some mileage on him, yes, he's politically mentally tied in. But he has the speed, he has the experience to get the upset.
Hopkins believes Pacquiao's speed and experience will help him against the younger and more active Barrios. He recognizes that Pacquiao has a lot of miles on his body and political commitments that might distract him. Still, Hopkins sees Pacquiao as having what it takes to win.
If Pacquiao manages to beat Barrios, he'll set a new record as the oldest world welterweight champion ever. He'd break his own mark from 2019 when he defeated Keith Thurman for the WBA title at 40 years old.
Pacquiao's comeback fight against Barrios promises to be an interesting matchup between the experienced veteran and the current champion. Boxing fans will surely tune in to see if the eight-division world champion can add another incredible achievement to his storied career.