Manny Pacquiao's return to boxing at 46 years old ended in a draw. The Filipino icon faced WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios on Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao stepped back into the ring for the first time since August 2021, and it had been nearly six years since his last win. Before the fight, some worried that the 46-year-old might have taken on too much against the younger champion Barrios.
The fight went the full 12 rounds. Pacquiao showed flashes of the speed and timing that made him a champion in eight weight classes. Many fans thought Pacquiao won, but the judges saw it differently. One scored it 115-113 for Barrios, while the other two had it 114-114, resulting in a majority decision draw.
Several boxing stars felt Pacquiao should have gotten the win. Devin Haney, Shawn Porter, and Teofimo Lopez all voiced their support for the Filipino legend after the fight.
Respected analyst Teddy Atlas initially thought Pacquiao won. But after watching the fight again, he changed his mind. On his YouTube channel, The Fight With Teddy Atlas, he said:
"I watched the fight again. It was a very close fight with a lot of close rounds. If you want to give it to him [Pacquiao] go ahead, but it was not the robbery that some people were saying. If you want to give it to Manny fine, but that was a close fight. I don't have a problem with the draw."
Despite the outcome, Pacquiao plans to keep boxing. A rematch with Barrios seems likely for his next fight.
