Manny Pacquiao's return to the ring ended in a draw against WBC world welterweight champion Mario Barrios. The fight took place on Saturday, July 19, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Bob Arum, the legendary promoter who used to work with Pacquiao, shared his thoughts on the match. He told Fight Hub TV how he scored the bout from home.
"A good result was the draw. I was scoring it. I couldn't make the fight, but I watched it from home. I had Manny winning six out of the first nine rounds … then I had the other guy [Barrios] winning the last three to make it a draw."
The official scorecards showed a split among the judges. Two scored it 114-114, while one gave it to Barrios with a 115-113 score. This result allowed Barrios to keep his WBC welterweight title in his second defense.
Many fans felt Pacquiao did enough to win. The Filipino boxer, known as "PacMan," showed he still has what it takes at 46 years old. ESPN reported on Pacquiao's efforts throughout the fight, highlighting his performance against the younger champion.
Pacquiao's not done yet. Even though he's turning 47 in a few months, he wants to keep boxing. He might fight Barrios again in a rematch. There's also talk about possible fights with WBA Lightweight champion Gervonta 'Tank' Davis or WBA Welterweight champion Rolando Romero.
The eight-division world champion proved he can still compete at the highest level. His next move will be closely watched by boxing fans around the world.
