The judges couldn't separate the two fighters. One scorecard read 115-113 for Barrios, while the other two had it even at 114-114. ESPN reported the close nature of the fight, with neither boxer managing to take control for long periods.
Pacquiao showed flashes of his old self, displaying the quick movement and combinations that made him famous. He aimed to break his own record as the oldest champion in the 147-pound division. Barrios, for his part, faced criticism despite outlanding Pacquiao by a small margin.
The result split opinions in the boxing world. Shawn Porter, Devin Haney, Andre Ward, and James Toney felt Pacquiao deserved the win. On the other hand, Bob Arum, Teddy Atlas, and Tim Bradley viewed the draw as a fair outcome.
Mike Tyson, who recently lost an underwhelming eight-round bout to Jake Paul, shared his thoughts on Pacquiao's performance. In an interview with FightHype, Tyson said:
"He had a tough break. Mario's a great fighter, just a bad day for him."
The draw leaves Pacquiao with several options for his next move. A rematch with Barrios seems likely, but other potential opponents include Rolando Romero, Gervonta Davis, and Ryan Garcia. The Filipino fighting legend will have plenty of choices as he continues his comeback journey.