May 09, (THEWILL) – Manny Pacquiao will return to professional boxing on July 19 after nearly four years away from the sport, facing WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios in Las Vegas.
The contest confirms plans previously outlined by WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman on May 2, who described the upcoming match as “a tremendous fight” for the boxing world.
Pacquiao, now 46, last competed professionally in August 2021 when he lost via unanimous decision to Yordenis Ugás.
His final victory came against Keith Thurman in July 2019, when he captured the WBA welterweight title by split decision before later being stripped of the belt due to inactivity.
During his time away from professional competition, the Filipino boxing icon participated in exhibition bouts against martial artist DK Yoo and kickboxer Rukiya Anpo.
The defending champion Barrios, who turns 30 this month, will make his fourth appearance since winning the WBC welterweight gold in 2023. His professional record stands at 29-2-1, with his most recent outing resulting in a draw against Abel Ramos last November.
Notably, Barrios claimed the interim WBC welterweight belt from Ugás in September 2023, the same fighter who defeated Pacquiao in his final professional bout.
Beyond his boxing career, Pacquiao has pursued political ambitions in his native Philippines, serving as senator from 2016 to 2022 before an unsuccessful presidential campaign. He is currently running for Senate again, with the election scheduled for May 12.
The timing of his boxing comeback is particularly significant as Pacquiao will be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame on June 8, just one month before stepping back into the ring.
The pay-per-view event will be streamed via PBC on Prime Video, bringing together a former eight-division world champion against a current titleholder.
Pacquiao remains the only boxer in history to win major world titles across eight weight classifications and finished his initial career as a 12-time world champion, establishing himself among the greatest fighters in boxing history.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
