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Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Manny Pacquiao faces welterweight champ Mario Barrios, but his real challenge will be time
Mauricio Sulaiman smiled as he recalled the call during which a boxing legend asked him to challenge current welterweight champion Mario Barrios. The president of the World Boxing Council (WBC) did not think about it for a moment and immediately got to work to fulfill the request of the legendary Manny Pacquiao. One of the most iconic and respected figures in boxing history is back. 'It was a positive call, I told him I wanted to challenge the champion one more time and that I can still fight. He was happy to hear that,' Pacquiao told L.A. Times en Español. Sulaiman fulfilled 'PacMan's' wish and his bout against 'Aztec Warrior' Barrios will be on July 19 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. 'He called me and said, 'Help me fulfill my dream of retiring with the WBC, which was where I started at flyweight,'' Sulaiman said. 'Manny's relationship with the WBC is decades old, we've been in very good times and we've been in difficult times and now that he needs support, we are here for him.' Born into poverty in the Philippines, Pacquiao became the only boxer to win world titles in eight different divisions, from flyweight to super welterweight. He defeated Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Juan Manuel Marquez, Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera. His explosive style, speed and charisma made him a global idol, especially in Asia and Latin America. In addition to being world champion in multiple bodies (WBC, WBA, WBO, WBO, IBF), he was recognized as 'Boxer of the Decade' by the Boxing Writers Assn. in 2010 and also developed a political career, becoming a senator in his country, which cemented his status as a national hero in the Philippines. During his career, Pacquiao has suffered eight losses and two draws, but his impressive 62 victories — 39 of them by knockout — earned him a place in the Boxing Hall of Fame. He is being inducted in Canastota, N.Y., on June 8. The former champion has been welcomed by the boxing world with open arms, but with caution. Pacquiao claims his hand movements are just as quick as in his prime, but at 46, many doubt he is the same as before. In August 2021, Pacquiao lost a unanimous decision to Cuba's Yordenis Ugás in what was then his last fight before retirement. During the fight against Ugás, Pacquiao looked slow, unresponsive and in what seemed to be the twilight of his career. He said several issues caused his problems during the fight, among them, his political career, a lawsuit against him by his former promoter Paradigm Sports Management and muscle ailments that were further inflamed by a pre-fight massage. Pacquiao did say whether he will be around to face more of boxing's stars after his bout with Barrios. 'I'm still here, one at a time,' Pacquiao said. 'This is me, if there are changes in my fighting style, I have to listen to my body, my heart and if my mind is also there, then I will know if I'm done.' Since the announcement of his return, many have shown concern for what might happen to him in the ring against a younger and physically fit Barrios. 'I appreciate that they are concerned, however, the only people I worry about is my family,' Pacquiao said. 'How I move, how I train, what kind of condition I'm in, they support me because they can still see the old Manny Pacquiao.' During his four-year absence from boxing, he was dedicated to his family and his country as a politician, but he said he remained active and in good physical condition, so he feels his return to the ring will not be difficult. 'At my home in the Philippines, I have my own training facility, with a gym, two basketball courts, everything — pickleball, badminton, table tennis,' Pacquiao said. 'Plus, I have a yard in the back of my house that's a kilometer long where I run.' Sixteen years separate Pacquiao and Barrios. Pacquiao made his professional debut in January 1995, Barrios was born just four months later. That bout will pit experience versus youth. Barrios may have more elements in his favor, such as his height, as he stands 6-feet tall while Pacquiao is 5-foot-5. Barrios' reach is 71 inches, while Pacquiao's reach is 67 inches. 'I'm younger, I have youth on my side, he has the experience, but I have to go out there and use all that advantage, my height, my speed, my timing, if I do that I can come out on top.' Although the confirmation of the fight came as a surprise to many, Barrios was mentally prepared for the possibility. He knew that the return of a legend like Pacquiao was not an isolated rumor, but a latent option. 'At first, I really couldn't believe it, but I had been told it could happen anytime in 2025,' recounted the San Antonio, Texas native, who has a record of 29 wins, two losses and one draw. 'I thought the best thing to do was to be ready, in March I was told it could happen during the summer, then I felt it would definitely happen. He's a legend, he's achieved so much, but at the end of the day, he's a fighter who wants to take my title.' Pacquiao could have chosen a more accessible opponent for his comeback, someone who would allow him to regain his rhythm and confidence. But he chose Barrios, a champion in his prime. 'I don't know if it's an insult or complement,' Barrios reflected. 'The type of fight he brings to the ring is a lot of action, I have to be smart, I shouldn't let him succeed.' While he respects Pacquiao's legacy, Barrios is determined to impose his own stamp on a historic evening. He is known for the way he arrives in the ring, accompanied by traditional Aztec dancers, as well as his colorful attire that represents his indigenous roots. Barrios hopes to continue with his traditional entrance, but he said the occasion calls for something special. 'It's going to be a very similar entry, always bringing the ... ancestral strength,' Barrios said. '... I'm going to have all that, but we're going to do something even bigger.' This article first appeared in Spanish via L.A. Times en Español.
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Sport
- GMA Network
Mark Magsayo to fight in Pacquiao-Barrios undercard
Mark "Magnifico" Magsayo will once again be in the undercards of a Manny Pacquiao fight as he is set to battle Mexican Jorge Mata Cuellar at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 19. Magsayo and Cuellar will fight in a 10-round match for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) continental American super featherweight title in the undercards of the Pacquiao-Barrios fight. "It's a very great opportunity to fight for the second time as a part of undercard bouts of my childhood hero Manny Pacquiao who is the main reason why I started boxing,' the 29-year old Magsayo said. 'Like the first time I fought under his card when I was in featherweight class, this is also another stepping stone to my second division super featherweight world title bid,' Magsayo added. 'I'm grateful for the opportunity from big brother Manny.' Magsayo scored a 10th round knockout of Julio Ceja in the Pacquiao-Ugas match in 2021. He then became the WBC featherweight champ in 2022 after defeating Gary Russell Jr. and won the WBA intercontinental super featherweight title with a unanimous decision nod over Eduardo Ramirez of Mexico last year. 'I would like to thank Sir Manny Pacquiao, also Sean Gibbons who takes care of my career and made me a world champion,' Magsayo said. Magsayo has a record of 27-2 with 18 knockouts, while Cuellar has has 21-2-2 record with 13 knockouts. Aside from Magsayo, Eumir Marcial will fight alongside Pacquiao when he takes on Alexis Gaytan in an eight-round middleweight non-title bout. —JKC, GMA Integrated News
Kuwait Times
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Kuwait Times
‘Rested' Pacquiao relishing boxing comeback at 46
LOS ANGELES: Manny Pacquiao on Tuesday shrugged off concerns about his decision to return to boxing at the age of 46 as he prepares for next month's world welterweight title comeback against Mario Barrios. The charismatic Filipino boxing icon stunned the sports world last month after announcing he would take on World Boxing Council (WBC) champion Barrios on July 19 in Las Vegas, four years after his last fight ended in a disappointing defeat. Pacquiao, who won 12 world titles in eight different weight classes during a glittering professional career that began in 1995, told reporters on Tuesday that the glamour of championship boxing had prompted his return. 'I'm returning because I miss my boxing,' Pacquiao said at a press conference in Los Angeles. 'Especially these situations -- being interviewed, press conference, training camp, everything like that. I missed that. But it has been good for me -- I've rested my body for four years. And now I come back.' Pacquiao said that he had been left devastated following his decision to retire in the wake of his loss to Yordenis Ugas in 2021. 'I always thought, even when I hung up my gloves, 'I can still fight, I can still feel my body, I can still work hard,'' Pacquiao said. 'That moment when I announced hanging up my gloves four years ago -- I was so sad. I was crying, I cannot stop the tears coming out my eyes.' Pacquiao, though, revealed that working out at his home in the Philippines persuaded him he still had the fitness and strength to fight. 'I realized when I'm playing basketball, training at the gym my house -- I have complete sport facilities in my house -- that I still have that passion. I still have that speed and power,' he said. 'Low-risk' comeback Some in boxing have expressed concerns about whether Pacquiao's comeback against Barrios, who is 16 years his junior, represents a risk to the Filipino's safety. Addressing those concerns, Pacquiao noted that his family and loved ones were firmly behind his comeback. 'I'm thankful for them for their concern,' Pacquiao told AFP. 'But the people who really concern me, is my family. My family saw how I move, saw how I train, saw my my body condition. They support me because they can see the old Pacquiao style.' Pacquiao, who has reunited with veteran trainer Freddie Roach for next month's fight, is able to challenge immediately for a title due to a WBC rule that allows former champions to request a title fight when coming out of retirement. WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman told AFP on Tuesday that Pacquiao had been cleared to return to the ring by the Nevada Athletic Commission after undergoing medical exams, describing the fighter's comeback as 'low risk'. 'Manny Pacquiao is at no higher risk than any fighter going into the ring,' Sulaiman said. 'Manny has rested his body for four years. He's not a drinker. He's not a drug user. He's a family man that has taken care of himself. So of the different aspects of dangers, he's at the lowest risk.' Pacquiao's opponent, Barrios, said he would set aside the Filipino's status as one of the most beloved fighters of his era. 'There's nothing but good things to say about him outside the ring,' Barrios said of Pacquiao. 'He's a hard guy to dislike. But at the end of the day, you know it's kill or be killed. And I know if at any point he has me hurt, you know he's going to get me out of there. So I just have to go in there and make sure that my hand is raised at the end of the fight.' — AFP
Express Tribune
06-06-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Brilliant boxer Waseem's world title celebrated
Pakistan's WBA bantamweight champion Muhammad Waseem (second from right) is seen with Consulate General of Japan in Karachi Mr Hattori Masura (first right) and other Consulate officials. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD WASEEM "I am very proud of Waseem, I am not a big fan of sports but I am very impressed with Waseem's achievements," The Consulate General of Japan in Karachi Hattori Masaru was brimming with joy and delight as he hosted the recently crowned World Boxing Association bantamweight champion Muhammad Waseem at the reception on June 3 at his residence. The meeting and dinner were held to celebrate the Pakistani ace boxer's feat, which he achieved on May 10 in Quetta, where he defeated Venezuela's Wiston Orono with a knockout in the ninth round. Waseem had fulfilled his lifelong dream to win a world title in his hometown of Quetta, and he managed to bring several international boxers and officials from around the world to his city despite the aerial war that was taking place between India and Pakistan at the time. Mr. Hattori was honouring Waseem on Tuesday, emphasising the role the 37-year-old pugilist is playing in bridging the gap between Japan and Pakistan. Waseem has spent years training in Japan since 2015 onwards. The training in Japan gave him the foundation as he switched to professional boxing from amateur in 2015. Waseem's reception by the Japanese Consulate General was a mix of tribute to both Japan and Waseem's deep-rooted connection to Karachi, which had been his home and grooming ground after his home Quetta. "It is my honour to welcome the champion," Hattori told this correspondent. "He knows Japan so well and he is also a world champion, as a Jqapanse I am very much happy that he got the champion belt." At the dinner, Mr. Hattori was also accompanied by Mr Nakagawa Yasushi and Kumagae Takahiro. Waseem also invited his friend Farid Khan and this correspondent to attend the reception. Nakagawa, who is also a friend of Waseem's added that he insisted that the former two-time World Boxing Council Silver Flyweight champion bring his friends along at the intimate meeting which was followed by a traditional Kaiseki menu. Waseem is also in the middle of planning his next bout and he will aim to consolidate his world championship titles, where he would want to not only retain his WBA belt, which he had brought in a silver briefcase to show Mr. Hattori and his friends at the dinner, but he would want the WBC, World Boxing Oraganisation and the International Boxing Federation titles too. He is hoping to fight with Japan's multi-weight world champion Junto Nakatani. Mr Hattori shared his experience of Karachi and Pakistan since he was appointed a year and a half ago. "Karachi is a very cosmopolitan city, and every night and weekend there are events. But when it comes to sports here in Pakistan, I watched the softball event that I enjoyed very much. It was held by the Pakistan Softball Federation," said Hattori, who is a baseball fan himself. "Pakistan is totally different from Japanese customs and culture," he said when asked about how he would describe Pakistan to the world. "It is also the home to Indus Valley Civilisation, Japanese people know it well and we teach our children about it in junior high school, so people know about it well. When it comes to having cultural exchange through sports Mr Hattori added: "There are so many Japanese-oriented sports that are taken up by Pakistanis like Jiu-jitsu and Karate, so Pakistani people know about Japanese culture and that helps." Meanwhile, Waseem added that he wanted to thank the consulate officials. "The Japanese always respect the sportspersons and especially boxing, I have always been welcomed and respected by Mye Nakagawa, who is a great friend of mine, and by the Japanese Consulate, they have always supported me. "I am also looking for a fight, hopefully with Nakatani, but nothing is confirmed yet, I might know about it by next week or so," said Waseem. Waseem, also known as Falcon, will be flying out to the United Kingdom for further training by the end of this month. Meanwhile, Nakagawa concluded with encouraging words, "I'm greatly honored to have such a great athlete and a pride of Pakistan as a friend. I wish all him best and more success. And go on further, go Falcon, go."
NDTV
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
'Rested' Manny Pacquiao Relishing Boxing Comeback At 46
Manny Pacquiao on Tuesday shrugged off concerns about his decision to return to boxing at the age of 46 as he prepares for next month's world welterweight title comeback against Mario Barrios. The charismatic Filipino boxing icon stunned the sports world last month after announcing he would take on World Boxing Council (WBC) champion Barrios on July 19 in Las Vegas, four years after his last fight ended in a disappointing defeat. Pacquiao, who won 12 world titles in eight different weight classes during a glittering professional career that began in 1995, told reporters on Tuesday that the glamour of championship boxing had prompted his return. "I'm returning because I miss my boxing," Pacquiao said at a press conference in Los Angeles. "Especially these situations -- being interviewed, press conference, training camp, everything like that. "I missed that. But it has been good for me -- I've rested my body for four years. And now I come back." Pacquiao said that he had been left devastated following his decision to retire in the wake of his loss to Yordenis Ugas in 2021. "I always thought, even when I hung up my gloves, 'I can still fight, I can still feel my body, I can still work hard,'" Pacquiao said. "That moment when I announced hanging up my gloves four years ago -- I was so sad. I was crying, I cannot stop the tears coming out my eyes." Pacquiao, though, revealed that working out at his home in the Philippines persuaded him he still had the fitness and strength to fight. "I realized when I'm playing basketball, training at the gym my house -- I have complete sport facilities in my house -- that I still have that passion. I still have that speed and power," he said. 'Low-risk' comeback Some in boxing have expressed concerns about whether Pacquiao's comeback against Barrios, who is 16 years his junior, represents a risk to the Filipino's safety. Addressing those concerns, Pacquiao noted that his family and loved ones were firmly behind his comeback. "I'm thankful for them for their concern," Pacquiao told AFP. "But the people who really concern me, is my family. My family saw how I move, saw how I train, saw my my body condition. They support me because they can see the old Pacquiao style." Pacquiao, who has reunited with veteran trainer Freddie Roach for next month's fight, is able to challenge immediately for a title due to a WBC rule that allows former champions to request a title fight when coming out of retirement. WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman told AFP on Tuesday that Pacquiao had been cleared to return to the ring by the Nevada Athletic Commission after undergoing medical exams, describing the fighter's comeback as "low risk". "Manny Pacquiao is at no higher risk than any fighter going into the ring," Sulaiman said. "Manny has rested his body for four years. He's not a drinker. He's not a drug user. He's a family man that has taken care of himself. So of the different aspects of dangers, he's at the lowest risk." Pacquiao's opponent, Barrios, said he would set aside the Filipino's status as one of the most beloved fighters of his era. "There's nothing but good things to say about him outside the ring," Barrios said of Pacquiao. "He's a hard guy to dislike. But at the end of the day, you know it's kill or be killed. "And I know if at any point he has me hurt, you know he's going to get me out of there. So I just have to go in there and make sure that my hand is raised at the end of the fight." (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
