Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, 46, is set to return to the ring this Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, facing WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios in a high-stakes comeback that has the sporting world holding its breath.
Three decades after his professional debut at just 16, the Filipino icon is chasing history, aiming to become the first active fighter to win a major world title after being inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame. Pacquiao’s return comes after a four-year hiatus, with the WBC granting him a title shot under a rule allowing former champions to request immediate contention upon returning from retirement.
“I’m returning because I miss boxing,” Pacquiao said during a media tour. “Training camp, press conferences, that adrenaline – I missed it all. But the rest has been good for me. Now I’m back.”
Barrios, 30, is a dangerous opponent in his prime, holding a 28-2 record and determined to defend his belt against a man he calls “hard to dislike.” Still, the Texan is promising no mercy. “It’s kill or be killed,” Barrios said. “Hats off to Pacquiao for daring to be great. But it’s my time now.”
Pacquiao’s long-time trainer, Freddie Roach, initially expressed concern over the match-up, questioning whether the boxing great needed to risk his legacy. “I didn’t want to see him come back. He’s already done everything he needed to do,” Roach said. But Pacquiao, who could earn between $5 to $10 million from the bout, remains undeterred.
Despite being a 4/11 underdog, Pacquiao appears physically sharp, flashing glimpses of his trademark hand speed in training. Supporters are hopeful he can defy the odds once more, just as he did against Oscar De La Hoya in 2008. Skeptics, however, fear a harsh reality check against the younger, powerful Barrios.
“My family supports me, they’ve seen how I train and move,” Pacquiao said. “They see the old Pacquiao style.”
The fight marks Pacquiao’s 73rd professional bout. With eight world titles across different weight divisions already under his belt, a win would add yet another remarkable chapter to an already legendary career. But standing in his way is a hungry champion with “bad intentions”, and no plans to let the past overshadow the present.
Written By Rodney Mbua
