Manny Pacquiao unretiring from boxing to get chance at title against Mario Barrios

Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao is planning to come out of retirement to battle Mario Barrios in Las Vegas. 

The pay-per-view fight will take place on July 19 and will see the two duke it out for the WBC welterweight championship, ESPN reported on Thursday. 

It will mark an end to a nearly four-year retirement for the 46-year-old Pacquiao, though the boxing superstar has remained around the sport in some aspects.

Rumors had been swirling that he’d come out to fight since late last year. 

The upcoming match will be available through PBC on Prime Video pay-per-view, ESPN reported. 

Pacquiao last competed in a competitive fight in August 2021 when he was defeated by Yordenis Ugas in a unanimous decision for the WBA welterweight championship. 

The Philippine boxer opted to hang up his gloves after the fight and put more focus on his political career. 

Pacquiao served as a senator in the Philippines from 2016-22 and is now in the middle of a close senate race.

Pacquiao is not planning on formally announcing his desire to return to boxing until after the May 12 election, Brunch Boxing indicated. 

Nevertheless, all the indicators suggest that he will return to the ring. 

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman told Boxing King Media during the Canelo Alvarez-William Scull fight in Saudi Arabia on Saturday that Barrios would be fighting Pacquiao in July, calling it a “tremendous fight.” 

“[Pacquiao] wants to retire as WBC champion, so he’s fighting in the welterweight division,” Sulaiman told the interviewer.

Additionally, Pacquiao has reportedly already been cleared to fight by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. 

Pacquiao was elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 in early December.

He will be inducted in June. 

“Today, I am humbled knowing that in June, I will receive boxing’s highest honor, joining our national hero, Flash Elorde, as well as my trainer and friend Freddie Roach,” he said in a statement at the time of the announcement.