Manny Pacquiao steps back into the ring this Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The 46-year-old boxing legend faces WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios in a comeback fight nearly four years after his last bout.
Pacquiao hasn't fought since losing to Yordenis Ugas in 2021. He's now the underdog against the 29-year-old Barrios. BetRivers has Barrios as the favorite at -275, while Pacquiao sits at +210.
The Filipino icon claims he's in great shape despite the long layoff. At the final press conference, Pacquiao said, "Even with my layoff, my passion is still there. I want to give the fans what they want. I'm always bringing surprises."
Barrios has physical advantages over Pacquiao. He's 6 inches taller and has a 4-inch reach advantage. The champion acknowledged Pacquiao's legacy but made his intentions clear: "Hats off to Pacquiao for daring to be great. But it's my time now. I'm not looking for the knockout, but I'm coming in with bad intentions."
Many experts predict Barrios will win by TKO in the 8th round. They point to Pacquiao's age and the physical differences between the fighters.
Pacquiao isn't fazed by being the underdog. He stated, "I'm OK being the underdog. I've been the underdog many times. We're going to show the world that boxing is still alive. Manny Pacquiao is still here."
The undercard features some exciting matchups. Sebastian Fundora and Tim Tszyu will rematch for the WBC and WBO junior middleweight titles. Fundora won their previous fight by split decision.
Isaac 'Pitbull' Cruz dominated Omar Salcido in a 10-round battle earlier on the card. Brandon Figueroa beat Joet González in a tough, action-packed fight. Gary Russell Jr. knocked down Hugo Castañeda multiple times in another undercard bout.
Pacquiao's comeback attempt is historic. He's older than George Foreman was when Foreman won the heavyweight title in 1994. The eight-division world champion vows to show flashes of his prime form.
Barrios became the full WBC champion after Terence Crawford vacated the title. He's looking to bounce back after losses to Keith Thurman and Gervonta 'Tank' Davis. His most recent fight, his first title defense, ended in a draw.
The boxing world will watch closely to see if Pacquiao can turn back the clock or if Barrios will cement his place at the top of the division.
