MANILA – Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao is set for a boxing comeback after nearly four years. He challenges reigning WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios on Saturday night (Sunday morning in the Philippines) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
This will be the eight-division world boxing champion‘s first professional bout since suffering a unanimous decision loss to Cuban Yordenis Ugas in August 2021 at the same venue.
Pacquiao said during the pre-fight press conference on Wednesday (Thursday in the Philippines) that he is in best condition for the world title fight despite his four-year hiatus.
“The fans might be worried about my condition,” Pacquiao said. “But that’s why I need to prove it (and) I’m not that type of fighter. I’m a fighter that I can work hard as I used to before when I was young until now.”
“I know Barrios is a champion. I respect his team. They work hard,” he added. “I’m pretty sure this Saturday is going to be a lot of action, and the fans will be happy. And that’s my goal, to make the fans satisfied.”
Barrios, for his part, said he will enter the ring this weekend ready to put a definitive end to Pacquiao’s storied professional career and defend his world championship.
“I’m ready to get backlash if I retire him – it comes with it. Any fighter in my division would be more than happy to take this fight as well. It’s just my job to go in there and do what I do best,” Barrios said.
“He’s beaten a lot of Mexican fighters before, but he hasn’t faced a Mexican fighter like me. Every time I step in the ring, I represent my Mexican roots and indigenous roots very proudly,” he added.
The 46-year-old Pacquiao will enter the match with a 68-8-2 win-loss-draw ring record, including 39 stoppage wins, while Barrios has 29-2-1 mark, with 18 knockout wins.
In the undercard, Mark Magsayo (27-2-0, 18 KOs) is facing Mexican Jorge Mata (21-2-2, 13 KOs) in a 10-round bout, while Olympian Eumir Marcial (5-0-0, 3 KOs) is battling American Bernard Joseph (11-2-1, 5 KOs)./PN
