Manny Pacquiao showed his respect to WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios, thanking him on social media for their battle last Saturday night. The 46-year-old Pacquiao (62-8-3, 39 KOs) said he “felt great’ inside the ring after four years of inactivity.
Fans Believe Manny Won
Manny chose not to discuss the results of their fight, which was ruled a 12-round majority draw. Pacquiao had told the media at the post-fight press conference that he felt he’d won the fight 8-4, and wanted a rematch.
Pacquiao’s fans agree. They felt he won the fight. However, the judges got it right. Barrios got the better of Manny in six of the rounds. Pacquiao was exhausted after the ninth round, allowing Barrios to sweep the final three rounds of the fight.
What was disturbing was Pacquiao saying after the fight that he’ll be back, and intends on continuing. There is nothing positive that can come of Pacquiao fighting any of the top fighters other than a payday for him. He doesn’t have the youth to beat any of the good fighters at 147, 140, or even 135. He would lose to fighters outside of the welterweight division if he fought the top guys.
Adviser, Sean Gibbons, has since said he wants a bigger name for Pacquiao’s next fight that will bring in the PPV buys. He mentioned Gervonta Davis and Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero.
It’s widely believed that Pacquiao’s management purposefully selected Barrios because he’s the most vulnerable champion at 147. For all the accolades Pacquiao has received, it sounds bad that he chose what fans believe is the weakest link among the welterweight champions instead of the best. They could have chosen WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr.
Hearn’s Warning: Ennis, Norman
Promoter Eddie Hearn stated last Saturday that it wouldn’t end well for Pacquiao if he fought Norman Jr. or former IBF and WBA champ Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis. Those guys wouldn’t hold back with their punches the way that Barrios strangely did.
They would unload on Pacquiao, and likely slice through him quickly. What we saw from Manny last Saturday, he wouldn’t last three rounds with Barrios or Ennis. He’s lost too much from his game to be competitive against those fighters/ Not just them. Other welterweights would likely dominate Pacquiao.
Thank you Lord for keeping us safe in the ring. I want to thank my wife, my kids, my family, my team and everyone who supported me throughout this fight.
To Mario Barrios, you are a true warrior. It was an honor to share the ring with you. Even after all these years, I felt… pic.twitter.com/WZixTXpkfp
— Manny Pacquiao (@MannyPacquiao) July 21, 2025
Last Updated on 07/21/2025
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