By the time the final bell rang, Manny Pacquiao had done everything but win the fight. He out-threw, out-landed and out-hustled a champion 16 years his junior on Saturday night in Las Vegas, but the scorecards told a different story.
Pacquiao’s spirited return to the ring after a four-year layoff ended in a majority draw against WBC welterweight titleholder Mario Barrios. One judge scored it 115–113 for Barrios, while the other two had it 114–114, allowing the 30-year-old Texan to retain his belt by the narrowest of margins. (The Guardian scored it 115-113 for Pacquiao.)
“I thought I won the fight,” Pacquiao said afterward. “It was a close fight. My opponent was very tough. It was a wonderful fight.”
The result was met with lusty boos from a pro-Pacquiao crowd inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena, which had spent much of the evening roaring their support for the 46-year-old from the Philippines. And for much of the bout, it looked like they were about to witness history yet again.
Mario Barrios, left, fights Manny Pacquiao on Saturday in Las Vegas. Photograph: John Locher/AP
From the opening round Pacquiao fought with surprising urgency, using angles and volume punching and his signature hand speed to offset Barrios’ height, youth and four-inch reach advantage. He won the first frame behind a flurry of jabs and straight lefts, sparking loud cheers with every landed punch.
Though Barrios began to find a home for his jab and counter right hands in the second, Pacquiao resumed control in the third with a sharper rhythm and faster hands, dictating the pace of the action. He buzzed Barrios in the sixth with a snapping left hand, then again moments later with another lead shot that caught the champion square. “His stamina, he could still crack,” Barrios said. “He’s still strong as hell. His timing, his rhythm, everything. He was still a very awkward fighter to try to figure out.”
Pacquiao’s performance, particularly in rounds six through nine, had the feeling of a time warp. He zipped in and out of range with fluid footwork and mixed in combination like a man half his age. By the end of the 10th, Pacquiao appeared to be well ahead on the scorecards. Even Barrios seemed to acknowledge he had to dig deep to close the gap. “Not necessarily that it was getting away from me,” Barrios said. “I just knew I had to try to step it up to really solidify a win.”
To his credit, Barrios did just that. He clearly won the 11th, landing his best combination of the night and forcing Pacquiao into a rare sequence of retreat. In the 12th, he kept the tempo high, trading shots and finishing strong – just enough to sweep the final three rounds on all three official cards and retain the WBC’s version of the title at 147lb. “I thought I still pulled it out,” Barrios said. “But I still tip my hat to Manny. It was an absolute honor to share the ring with him, somebody with so much experience who has accomplished so much in this sport. We left everything in the ring. Nothing but love and respect.”
The fight marked Pacquiao’s first since his unanimous-decision loss to Yordenis Ugás in 2021. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame last month, and few expected him to compete again at this level, much less push a reigning titleholder to the brink. “I’m more experienced,” Pacquiao said. “I’m a more tactical fighter than before. I’m not as careless as I was when I was young. Now I’m more careful.”
Mario Barrios, right, lands a shot to Manny Pacquiao’s body on Saturday night. Photograph: Harry How/Getty Images
That maturity showed in his measured footwork, selective bursts and veteran nous, including moments where he appeared to be refereeing the fight himself. But even Pacquiao admitted his comeback camp had been rushed. “I only had two months training,” he said. “What I need to do is continue my training. In a championship fight like this, I should train four months, [or at least] three months and a half. But because of the election in the Philippines, I started late. But it’s OK. I love the Filipino people, and I love to give honor to my country.”
Pacquiao, whose professional record now stands at 62–9–3 with 39 knockouts, said he would “absolutely” consider fighting again and made it clear he wants a rematch. “Yes, of course,” he said. “That’s the only legacy that I can leave behind. To give inspiration to the Filipino people and to be proud wherever you are.”
Barrios, whose ledger moves to 29–2–2 after a second straight draw, seemed open to the idea. “Absolutely. This was huge for boxing,” he said. “What me and him were able to bring here today, I would love to do it again.”
Four decades on from his professional debut, Pacquiao once again proved that age is just a number and that greatness, even in a draw, still carries the power to inspire. “It’s an inspiration to old boxers,” Pacquiao said. “If you have discipline and hard work, you can still fight. I’m so thankful to God, because without God, Manny Pacquiao is not here. God is the source of all the strength and good health that I have right now.”