Manny Pacquiao, the eight-division world champion, stepped back into the ring at 46 years old. He faced WBC world welterweight champion Mario Barrios at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The fight ended in a majority decision draw.
Two judges scored the bout 114-114, while one gave it to Barrios with a 115-113 scorecard. This match marked Pacquiao's return to professional boxing after his temporary retirement following a loss to Yordenis Ugas in June 2021.
Despite the recent action, Pacquiao's mind wandered to a fight from his past. He expressed regret about his 2015 bout against Floyd Mayweather. In an interview with Business Insider, Pacquiao said:
"If I could change one thing in my career, I'd have asked to postpone my 2015 fight against Floyd Mayweather after hurting my shoulder in training."
Pacquiao injured his shoulder two weeks before the fight. He thought he could manage without surgery, but the injury got worse after the third round.
The Mayweather-Pacquiao fight took place in 2015, though many fans felt it should have happened at least five years earlier. Mayweather won by unanimous decision, unifying the WBC, WBA, and WBO world welterweight titles in what turned out to be an underwhelming 12-round battle.
Pacquiao's recent draw with Barrios shows he can still compete at a high level. But his comments about the Mayweather fight reveal that even legendary fighters have moments they wish they could change.
