Manny Pacquiao's Return to Boxing: Foe, Date, and Details - Dispatch
Manny Pacquiao Ready to Tussle for Another World Title
Get ready, boxing fans! Legendary boxer Manny Pacquiao is gearing up for a stunning return to the ring, taking on a world title contest against the 147-pound champion, Alexis Barrios, as per a report from ESPN's Andreas Hale.
In an unusual twist, the 46-year-old PacMan isn't planning a simple exhibition—he's diving headfirst into a world-title fight. The highly anticipated face-off is scheduled for July 19 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, making for a thrilling night of boxing. The main event will be followed by a much-anticipated rematch between WBC and WBO super welterweight champion, Sebastian Fundora, and Tim Tszyu.
Tszyu suffered a setback after his loss to Fundora, getting brutally stopped by Bakhram Murtazaliev in 2024. However, he bounced back with a dazzling fourth-round TKO win over Joseph Spencer in April, setting the stage for his rematch with Fundora.
The upcoming card is set to be a Premier Boxing Champions Prime Video pay-per-view event.
A Look Back at Errol Spence Jr.'s Competitive Career
While we gear up for Pacquiao's comeback, let's take a moment to remember Errol Spence Jr., the former unified welterweight champion, who has a professional boxing record of 28 wins and 1 loss. Spence's career saw him clash with formidable opponents such as Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia, and Yordenis Ugas, with some of his most unforgettable victories coming against the likes of Kell Brook and Shawn Porter. Alas, Terence Crawford put a stop to Spence's winning streak in 2023, with a ninth-round stoppage, leaving Spence on the sidelines since then. However, he's gearing up for a return to the ring in 2025, with potential contenders like Mario Barrios for a WBC title fight or even a move to the 154-pound division for showdowns against the likes of Sebastian Fundora or Tim Tszyu.
Manny Pacquiao and Alexis Barrios: A Promising Showdown
Back to our main event, Alexis Barrios hails a record of 29-2-1 with 18 KOs. He last fought in November, drawing a split decision with Abel Ramos. There's been a bit of a buzz surrounding Barrios, who won the interim WBC title by beating Ugas in September 2023, and was elevated to full champion when Terence Crawford vacated the title to move up to 154 pounds.
Pacquiao's previous fight saw him lose a unanimous decision to Yordenis Ugas in August 2021. Despite this, the Filipino icon made a brief reappearance in July 2024, for an exhibition against Rukiya Anpo. However, the performance didn't garner overwhelming praise.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission granted Pacquiao clearance to compete, allowing him to challenge for the WBC title per the governing body's rules, which permit former champions to fight for their iconic belt if they return to the sport. Pacquiao's upcoming Hall of Fame induction in June is likely to set the stage for his promotion of the upcoming title fight.
A dramatic move from Barrios might just fuel the hype for the fight–tainting the Hall of Fame ceremony to taunt Pacquiao would surely earn him a heap of controversy and public interest.
Rumors of the Pacquiao-Barrios bout have circulated since mid-2024, but with clearance secured and preliminary agreements in place, there's a strong likelihood of more details emerging soon, as we approach the fight date in July.
Sentence 1: Manny Pacquiao, scheduled to fight Alexis Barrios on July 19, is gearing up for a world-title fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, as reported by ESPN.
Sentence 2: Alexis Barrios, who holds a record of 29-2-1 with 18 KOs, won the interim WBC title by beating Yordenis Ugas in 2023 and was elevated to full champion after Terence Crawford's vacancy.
Sentence 3: Manny Pacquiao, who will be facing Barrios in July, has a long and renowned career in the sports world and is set to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in June.
