Manny Pacquiao's return to boxing after four years ended in a surprise. The Filipino icon fought Mario Barrios to a majority draw in a WBC welterweight title fight on Saturday night.
The judges couldn't separate the two fighters. Two scorecards read 114-114, while the third favored Barrios 115-113. This result left fans and analysts stunned.
Pacquiao, now 46, started strong. He landed sharp combinations and set the pace in the early rounds. But as the fight progressed, he slowed noticeably. Barrios found his way back into the contest in the middle rounds.
The statistics showed a close fight. Pacquiao landed 101 total punches, with 81 of those being power shots. Barrios connected with 120 total punches, including 75 power punches.
After the fight, Pacquiao didn't hide his disappointment.
"I thought I won the fight. Of course I'd like a rematch. I want to leave a legacy and make the Filipino people proud."
The former champion acknowledged his late start in training due to his recent unsuccessful Senate run in the Philippines.
"I need to continue my training for longer going into a championship fight. Because of the election I started late, but it's OK."
Some boxing figures felt strongly about the outcome. Promoter Lou DiBella said Pacquiao was robbed of a legendary win. Journalist Alan Dawson called it a missed opportunity for a historic comeback.
Barrios, who remains the WBC welterweight champion with a record of 29-2-2, welcomed the idea of a rematch.
"I'll do the rematch. Absolutely. This was huge for boxing. I'd love to do it again."
The controversial result sets the stage for a potential rematch. Both fighters seem eager to settle the score, promising more action for boxing fans in the future.
