LEGENDARY Filipino fighter and eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao returns to the ring with a renowned commitment to boxing as he faces World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champ Mario Barrios in Las Vegas on July 19, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The 46-year-old Pacquiao told Associated Press (AP) on Wednesday, June 4 (PH time), that his focus now is his career in boxing and politics is not on his mind.
“Right now, the book of politics is closed,” Pacquiao told AP in Los Angeles. “It’s not even in my mind. I’m focusing on my career as a boxer again.”
Pacquiao will challenge Barrios, marking his first pro fight since August 2021 when he lost via decision to Yordenis Ugás in the World Boxing Association welterweight showdown.
Pacquiao admitted that stepping away from boxing left a void he couldn’t fill, and being back in the gym rekindled his love for the sport.
“I can still do my job in boxing,” Pacquiao said. “I’m not done yet. The fire, the determination, the eagerness to train and work hard, it’s still there. It’s amazing.”
This week, Pacquiao will briefly pause training for a milestone of a different sort: his induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in upstate New York. Then, it’s right back to work with Roach at Wild Card Gym.
Pacquiao’s pro debut was in January 1995 — four months before his opponent, Barrios, was even born.
“He’s a hard guy to dislike,” Barrios said. “A legend is going to be across from me. I have all the respect for him outside the ring, but inside the ring, he’s just another man trying to take what’s mine.”
At a press event in Los Angeles, Pacquiao appeared upbeat and energized, surrounded by a lineup of fighters from a new generation. He gave off the vibe of someone who still belongs — both mentally and physically — in the sport’s upper echelon.
But Pacquiao is also aware of the risks older fighters face. He was the one who forced Oscar De La Hoya into retirement in 2008 with a dominant performance. Now, the same fate potentially awaits him if his comeback doesn’t go as planned. / RSC