Latest news with #MannyPacquiao
The Independent
2 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Floyd Mayweather, Conor Benn: Who's next for Manny Pacquiao after Mario Barrios draw?
Manny Pacquiao almost completed the dream comeback against Mario Barrios but was held to a majority decision draw in Las Vegas on Saturday night. Pacquiao had been out of boxing for four years and challenged for Barrios's WBC welterweight title. The legendary Filipino impressed with his speed and power at 46 years old, reminding the world how he became one of the greats. For those worried that this fight may have been a one-off, Pacquiao said this was not the end of his boxing journey. Pacquiao said at the post-fight press conference: 'Don't worry. The 'Pac Man' is back, and the journey will continue.' So, after such an impressive performance and with fuel still in the tank, what options lie ahead for the Filipino icon? Mario Barrios rematch After such a close fight, a rematch would be an enticing proposition for the fans. In their bout this past weekend, Pacquiao was ahead on two out of three judges' scorecards, but lost the last three rounds, which cost him a historic win. Pacquiao said he would like a rematch and that he would have a longer training camp headed into it. He was forced to have an eight-week camp because of his electoral campaign in the Philippines. Pacquiao said: "I need to continue my training for longer going into a championship fight. Because of the election, I started late, but it's OK. Of course, I'd like a rematch. I want to leave a legacy and make the Filipino people proud.' Barrios gave Pacquiao his due respect and also said he would love to do it again. Barrios said: 'He's still strong as hell, and his timing is real. He's still a very awkward fighter to try and figure out. He added on the rematch: 'I'll do the rematch. Absolutely. This was huge for boxing. I'd love to do it again.' Conor Benn Rumours of a fight between Conor Benn and Pacquiao have been circulating since last year. The pair shared a face-off in Riyadh during the build-up to Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou – sparking speculation over a welterweight clash between them. Benn has since gone on to fight Chris Eubank Jr, losing a unanimous decision at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April. A rematch between Benn and Eubank Jr looks set for the autumn, but speaking to Sky Sports, Benn revealed he would be open to a fight with Pacquiao or Barrios if the rematch doesn't materialise. Benn said: 'He's past his sell-by date, but he's still a legend – one of the greatest of all time – so either or there's options. Benn still holds top five rankings with the WBC and WBA at welterweight, and a fight with Pacquiao would help boost his world title hopes, if he returns to 147lbs after his rematch with Chris Eubank. However, Pacquiao's manager Sean Gibbons said that the Filipino boxing legend wants to fight again before the end of the year, and with the Eubank Jr rematch looking to be in in the final quarter of 2025, it would be difficult for Benn to squeeze in another fight. It might not be next, but it is a fight that is on the radar of both men, and if Pacquiao can get a rematch and beat Barrios, Benn will be at the front of the queue with the WBC. Floyd Mayweather After a successful comeback, proving he still has what it takes to compete at the world level, Pacquiao has revenge on his mind. He and Floyd Mayweather shared a fierce rivalry that culminated in a fight in 2015 that was one of the most lucrative in boxing history, albeit a tad late. Mayweather beat Pacquiao via unanimous decision to seemingly put an end to their rivalry. But with Pacquiao now an active boxer again, he wants to reignite their feud and fight one more time. Pacquiao said after his fight with Barrios: 'If [Mayweather] comes out of retirement and signs the contract, we'll fight.' He concluded: 'Let's fight again if he wants, I'm active now.' Mayweather, now 48, has been retired from professional boxing since 2017 after he came back to fight Conor McGregor, but stays active in the gym and has had a handful of exhibition bouts. With Mayweather still in shape and Pacquiao back in the professional ranks, a rematch is a genuine possibility, and perhaps the promise of a big payday can draw Mayweather back out of retirement. Other Welterweights Pacquiao's manager has said they are aiming for bigger names than Barrios in his next fight. Gibbons said: "He's a nice guy [Barrios] and I like the kid, but Manny deserves a bigger name.' He continued: "There are fighters like Gervonta 'Tank' Davis and [Rolando] 'Rolly' Romero out there." 'Rolly' Romero has yet to confirm his next opponent after his upset victory over Ryan Garcia in May. He currently holds the WBA 'Regular' title and would be an intriguing match-up for Pacquiao. Elsewhere in the welterweight division, Brian Norman Jr and Devin Haney have had a fight confirmed for November 22 on the Ring IV card in Riyadh. Haney is coming off a lacklustre win over an ageing Jose Ramirez, and Norman Jr is in the form of his life after scoring a devastating knockout of Jin Sasaki in Japan and currently holds the WBO welterweight title. If Pacquiao was looking for a more robust challenge and another shot at a world title, the winner of this fight is a real option.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Manny Pacquiao vs. Mario Barrios Livestream: How to Watch the Premier Boxing Champions Live Online
If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission. Pricing and availability are subject to change. If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Vegas, baby! Premier Boxing Champions goes to 'The Gambling Capital of the World' tonight, where boxing icon Manny Pacquiao (62-8-2) takes on WBC Welterweight World Champion Mario Barrios (29-2-1) with his title up for grabs. Advertisement More from Variety Pacquiao vs. Barrios takes place on Saturday, July 19 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada with a start time of 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The main event is set for 12 rounds starting around 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT. watch Manny Pacquiao vs. Mario Barrios on Prime Video For How To Watch Manny Pacquiao vs. Mario Barrios Online Want to watch the PBC fight online? Manny Pacquiao vs. Mario Barrios livestream is available to watch for $79.95 on Prime Video. You don't have to be an Amazon Prime subscriber to watch the fight, but you do have to get purchase access for the pay-per-view livestream. Advertisement If you're not an Amazon Prime member, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial to take advantage of all that the subscription service has to offer, including access to Prime Video, Prime Gaming and Amazon Photos; fast free shipping in less than two days with Prime Delivery; in-store discounts at Whole Foods Market; access to exclusive shopping events — such as Prime Day and Black Friday — and much more. Learn more about Amazon Prime and its benefits here. Manny Pacquiao vs. Mario Barrios Odds & Predictions For the main event, Barrios is the favorite to win against Pacquiao. Oddsmakers give Mario Barrios a -313 moneyline, while Manny Pacquiao received a line of +260, as the underdog. Want more odds? Check out the complete odds and wagers at online here. Visit Advertisement If you're looking for last-minute tickets to the boxing event, they're still available on third-party resellers sites, such as StubHub, TicketNetwork and Vivid Seats. In fact, you can save $150 off when you spend $500 with promo code VARIETY150, or $300 off when you spend $1,000 with promo code VARIETY300 at TicketNetwork. Buy Pacquiao vs. Barrios Tickets at StubHub In addition, you can use Variety's exclusive promo code VAR30 for $20 off at Vivid Seats. Taking place on Saturday, July 19, Manny Pacquiao vs. Mario Barrios is available to stream on Prime Video starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT with coverage starting at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT. Advertisement Fight Card, 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT Welterweight: Manny Pacquiao vs. Mario Barrios (champion) — Main Event, WBC Title Fight Junior Middleweight: Tim Tszyu vs. Sebastian Fundora (champion) — Co-Main Event, WBC Title Fight Junior Welterweight: Isaac Cruz vs. Angel Fierro Featherweight: Brandon Figueroa vs. Joet Gonzalez Junior Featherweight: David Picasso vs. Kyonosuke Kameda Lightweight: Mark Magsayo vs. Jorge Mata Junior Lightweight: Gary Allen Russell Jr. vs. Hugo Castaneda watch Manny Pacquiao vs. Mario Barrios on Prime Video For Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (Available in the US) Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY) Call 1-800-327-5050 (MA) 21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). Visit (WV). First Bet Offer for new customers only (if applicable). Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. See for Terms. US promotional offers not available in DC, Mississippi, New York, Nevada, Ontario, or Puerto Rico. Best of Variety Advertisement Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The Independent
6 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Pacquiao-Barrios: Seven fighters who defied Father Time to win world titles in their 40s
Manny Pacquiao will return to the ring after a four-year absence to challenge Mario Barrios for his WBC welterweight title on Saturday night. Despite losing his last fight to Yorgenis Ugas in 2021, Pacquiao is going straight back in at the highest level as he looks to become a world champion again at the age of 46. The odds are stacked against the Filipino legend due to his advancing years, but he has pulled off improbable victories before to win belts in eight different weight divisions. Does he have one huge performance left in him? Well, he may take inspiration from several other fighters who defied Father Time to claim full versions of world titles in their 40s, proving that age can be just a number. Vitali Klitschko Let's start with the elder Klitschko brother. Due to the excellence of his younger sibling, Wladimir, and his own injury problems, Vitali Klitschko arguably doesn't get the credit he deserves. But he was a phenomenal fighter in his own right who held a version of the heavyweight title on multiple occasions. Vitali came back into the sport after four years away following fitness issues to claim the WBC title by stopping Samuel Peter in 2008. He would go on to make nine successful defences of his title, culminating with a fourth-round stoppage victory over Manuel Charr. That win came when Vitali was 41 years and 51 days old as he retired on top of the world with an impressive professional record of 45 wins and just two losses. Sam Soliman Soliman is one of the biggest boxing stars to come out of Australia in recent times, but he had to wait patiently to get his moment in the spotlight. Having fallen short when facing fellow Aussie Anthony Mundine for the vacant WBA super-middleweight title in 2007, Soliman got another shot at gold when he challenged Germany's Felix Sturm for his IBF middleweight title seven years later. Soliman entered the ring aged 40 years and 199 days, but he still managed to outwork Sturm to earn a unanimous decision victory in Germany. He became the oldest ever middleweight champion, although his reign was a short one as he was outpointed by Jermain Taylor a little over four months later. Soliman kept fighting for another decade, with his last bout being a points loss to Yuki Nonaka in Japan last year. Thulani Malinga Malinga spent the majority of his career in his homeland of South Africa, but then came over to the UK to challenge Chris Eubank for his WBO super-middleweight title in 1992. Eubank Jr edged a split decision to retain his title, and Malinga then fell short against Nigel Benn and Roy Jones Jr. However, he refused to give up on his dream of winning a world title and he finally got his reward when he avenged his loss to Benn to become champion at 40. He lost his belt in his next fight to Italy's Vincenzo Nardiello, but when Nardiello was beaten by Britain's Robin Reid, Malinga returned to the UK to try and win his title back. Just eight days after turning 42, Malinga beat Reid on points to regain his title in London. Once again, it proved to be a short reign as he then lost on points to another Brit, Richie Woodhall, three months later. George Foreman Foreman had an extraordinary career that spanned over a quarter of a century with a 10-year gap in the middle. During his rise in the early 1970s, Foreman was a wrecking ball off a heavyweight who destroyed everyone in his path until he bumped into Muhammad Ali. That 'Rumble in the Jungle' defeat rocked Foreman and he struggled to get back to his best as he walked away from the sport after a loss to Jimmy Young in 1977. Foreman became a pastor in his hometown in Houston and few expected him to return to the ring, but he made a stunning comeback in 1987. After losing world title fights to Evander Holyfield and Tommy Morrison, Foreman got one final shot at glory against Michael Moorer. 'Big George' was behind on the scorecards going into the latter rounds before unleashing a thunderous right hand that left Moorer out for the count as he became champion again at the age of 45. Foreman defended his IBF belt against Axel Schulz when he was aged 46 years and 102 days, and he remains the oldest heavyweight champion in history. Cornelius Bundrage Bundrage was 15 years into his professional career when he got his first world title opportunity against Cory Spinks. He knocked out his fellow American inside five rounds to capture the IBF light-middleweight title and would go on to make two successful defences before losing to Ishe Smith. That defeat came just a couple of months before his 40th birthday, and some may have expected Bundrage's time at the top level to be over. But he received another chance to reclaim his old belt against Carlos Molina and he took it. Bundrage beat Molina via unanimous decision as he became champion again at 41 years and 169 days old. Eleven months later, Bundrage's time as champion came to an end as he was stopped in the third round by Jermall Charlo. Bernard Hopkins Hopkins was beaten on his professional debut in 1988. Nobody could have predicted what he would go on to achieve. He ruled the middleweight division for the best part of a decade around the turn of the millennium, and then jumped up to light-heavyweight once he had moved into his 40s. Hopkins' clean-living lifestyle meant he was still able to compete with the best and he beat Antonio Tarver to claim The Ring light-heavyweight title in 2006 when he was 41. He lost to Joe Calzaghe two years later, but remained adamant he still had plenty left to offer. Hopkins was proved right as he outpointed Jean Pascal in 2011 to surpass Foreman's record as the oldest world champion ever. Two years later, he was back for more as he beat Tavoris Cloud to win the IBF belt, and he then won a unification clash against Beibut Shumenov when he was 49 years and 94 days old. Hopkins lost the last two fights of his career to Sergey Kovalev and Joe Smith Jr, but his longevity in the sport was simply incredible. Manny Pacquiao It's only right to finish with the man himself who will be looking to roll back the years this weekend. Pacquiao has achieved so much in his career that it is easy to forget he has already won a world title since turning 40. Back in 2019, Pacquiao took on Keith Thurman for the WBA (Super) welterweight title in Las Vegas. 'Pac-Man' knocked his rival down in the first round and then hurt Thurman again with a body shot in the 10th round. There was very little to separate the pair, but it was Pacquiao who got the nod by split decision as he was crowned champion at 40. Six years on, Pacquiao may feel that a similar performance could get the job done against Barrios. But does he have enough left in the tank? We will get our answer on Saturday night.
The Independent
9 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Manny Pacquiao vs Mario Barrios: Five iconic boxing comebacks
Boxing is a sport where youth and activity are among the most valuable commodities for any fighter. When either or both of these begin to fade, a fighter will often choose to call it a day and retire. That is how it should go. But some fighters, even when they have been retired or injured, cannot keep themselves away from the ring and make a comeback against all odds and advice – shocking the world by also finding success. Manny Pacquiao is making his return after a four-year retirement to challenge Mario Barrios for his WBC welterweight world title on Saturday night. He will be hoping to dust off the cobwebs and prove critics wrong, just as a select group of fighters have done before him. Here are five fighters who upset the odds to make highly successful comebacks. Sugar Ray Leonard Sugar Ray Leonard had retired in 1982 after gruelling wars with Roberto Duran and Tommy Hearns. He claimed he had lost his passion for the sport and wanted to complete his education. He returned in 1984 and beat Kevin Howard, but was so dissatisfied with his performance, he retired immediately after. Marvin Hagler beat John Mugabi in Las Vegas in 1986, and Leonard was in the audience. The former welterweight champion had seen all he needed to see and was sure he could beat Hagler, whom he was convinced had lost a step. The fight was made between the pair for April 6, 1987. Before the clash, a poll of sports journalists was taken and 46 out of 50 favoured Hagler for the fight, believing the naturally bigger and more destructive man would prevail. Leonard had also been inactive for three years at this point. Leonard pulled off an incredible upset, beating Marvin Hagler by split decision to claim his WBC middleweight title. Sugar Ray frustrated Hagler, using the larger ring to keep at range, peppering him with jabs and then landing 30-second flurries at the end of every round. Leonard would continue to box until 1991, picking up a second world title in his comeback by beating Donny Lalonde and taking his WBC light heavyweight title. He ended this comeback after a loss to Terry Norris in 1991. George Foreman The late, great George Foreman decided to leave boxing in 1977 after a knockout loss to Jimmy Young. Foreman stopped fighting and became a minister in his hometown. But Foreman had ambitions of becoming a two-time heavyweight champion, and after a decade out of the sport, returned to the ring - hunting a world title. In a 30-fight comeback, Foreman beat Hall of Famer Dwight Muhammad Qawi and put in good performances against Evander Holyfield and Tommy Morrison for a world title, but fell short on both occasions. The culmination of a seven-year comeback came in 1994 against Michael Moorer. Foreman was behind on all three judges' scorecards when Moorer hesitated a moment too long in front of one of the heaviest hitters the heavyweight division has ever seen and was felled by 'Big George', who claimed the IBF and WBA heavyweight titles at the age of 45. This remains the record for the oldest heavyweight world champion. 'The greatest' had established himself as the best heavyweight in the world by 1967, having won the world title at 22 years old and beaten the best of the previous generation – Sonny Liston, Henry Cooper and Floyd Patterson. After 10 successful defences of his world title, Ali ran into legal troubles for refusing to be enlisted into the United States Army. This led to a state-by-state removal of his boxing licenses, which meant he would not fight again for another three years. Ali also officially retired at the beginning of 1970, so the winner of Joe Frazier vs Jimmy Ellie could be considered the undisputed champion. The former champion returned at the end of 1970 and across four years put together an impressive 15 wins and only two losses – to Joe Frazier and Ken Norton, both of which he avenged. The culmination of this comeback came in 1974, just a few months after Ali had got his revenge on Frazier, when he challenged George Foreman for his WBC title in 'The Rumble in the Jungle'. Ali let Foreman tire himself out like a raging bull, playing rope-a-dope and using an educated right hand to sting the champion. In the eighth round, a gassed Foreman was knocked out by Ali, who began his second reign as world heavyweight champion. Vitali Klitschko Having claimed the WBO heavyweight title in 1999, it looked as though Vitali Klitschko was in for a long reign as champion, comfortably defending his title twice before succumbing to a torn rotator cuff in his third defence against Chris Byrd – forcing him to retire and forfeit his belt. His body failed him again against Lennox Lewis, when he was ahead on all three scorecards, a cut opened by Lewis forced the fight to be stopped in the sixth round. The final straw came in training camp in 2004 for the third defence of his recently acquired WBC strap against Hasim Rahman. Klitshcko suffered a torn ACL and announced his retirement before his reconstructive surgery. But as Vitali had to watch his brother Wladimir dominate the heavyweight division, becoming a unified champion, he could not resist the magnetism of his dream of holding a world title simultaneously with his younger brother. In 2008, he took advantage of his 'Champion Emeritus' status given to him by the WBC, which meant that if he ever came back, he would be the mandatory challenger for the title. Klitschko took on the hard-hitting Samuel Peter, who had lost to his brother a few years earlier. The fight, despite Klitschko not having fought in four years, was a foregone conclusion after the first round, and he won every round before Peter gave up on his stool at the end of the eighth. Klitschko defended his WBC belt nine times between 2008 and 2012 and retired at the top of the sport as he had always wanted to do. Tyson Fury Tyson Fury had climbed the most unlikely of peaks, defeating the most dominant champion of his generation, Wladimir Klitschko, in 2015. But this achievement of a lifelong dream left Fury without purpose and drive, which pushed him down a dark path of addiction and mental health struggles for three years. The Brit gained a huge amount of weight, reaching almost 400lbs, and finally realised after three years that he needed to get back into the ring. His target was Deontay Wilder, the WBC heavyweight champion. After two comeback fights, the former unified champion was ready to take on the heaviest hitter in the division. The pair fought to a dramatic draw, with Fury mostly outboxing Wilder but getting dropped twice for his trouble, which will have swayed the judges. Fury would not make the same mistake twice and did not leave their rematch to the judges, stopping Wilder in the seventh round in a dominating performance. Reclaiming his place at the top of the division, Fury made one of the most unlikely comebacks this sport has ever seen and punctuated it by knocking out Wilder again in their trilogy fight.
Independent Singapore
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Independent Singapore
'I thought I won the fight' — Manny Pacquiao calls for rematch with Mario Barrios after controversial result
Photo: LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: Filipino boxer and 12-time world champion Manny Pacquiao has called for a second fight with Mario Barrios because of the controversial results of their recent WBC welterweight champion match. The match marks Pacquiao's return to the boxing ring after four years of retirement. The match ended in a draw after 12 rounds. Two of the judges scored the fight a 114-114 draw, while the third judge awarded a 115-113 win to Mario Barrios. With this, Barrios kept his WBC welterweight title and improved his record to 29 wins, 2 losses, and 2 draws with 18 knockouts. Meanwhile, Pacquiao now has a record of 62 wins, 8 losses, and 3 draws with 39 knockouts. Given the results, Pacquiao said he needed to train longer for the rematch: 'I thought I won the fight… I need to continue my training for longer going into a championship fight.' He added, 'Of course, I'd like a rematch. I want to leave a legacy and make the Filipino people proud.' See also 2026 Tour de France to begin with a team time trial in Barcelona Barrios is also open to having another fight with the legendary boxer. He admitted: 'I'll do the rematch… Absolutely. This was huge for boxing. I'd love to do it again.' If Pacquiao had won, he would have become the second-oldest boxer to achieve a major world championship in history. Highlights of the match Manny Pacquiao started strong as he landed many punches in the early rounds. However, he appeared to have been tired in the middle rounds, which allowed Barrios to gain ground on the scorecards. According to statistics, Pacquiao landed 101 out of 577 punches and had an 81-75 advantage in power punches, while Barrios connected on 120 of his 658 punches. On social media, netizens expressed their opinions about the recent match. A number of netizens believed that Pacquiao should have won the match. They made comments such as: 'Manny WON that fight. Stole a great legacy-building victory from him. Absolute disgrace,' 'I think Pacquiao should've won, but anyway, fighting at 46, I think he still did great,' and 'Pacquiao won that fight since he was the better aggressor. You could tell Barrios was happy with the split decision since he thought he lost, too. We all know Manny still won more love & respect in the end #PacquiaoBarrios . ' .@mannypacquiao vs @boxer_barrios ENDS IN A DRAW‼️. WHAT. A. FIGHT. 🔥 #PacquiaoBarrios — Premier Boxing Champions (@premierboxing) July 20, 2025 Uncrowned Alan Dawson also said, ' Really feels like Manny Pacquiao just got robbed of a legendary win befitting of a legendary career.' Really feels like Manny Pacquiao just got robbed of a legendary win befitting of a legendary career#PacquiaoBarrios — Alan Dawson (@AlanDawsonSport) July 20, 2025 () => { const trigger = if ('IntersectionObserver' in window && trigger) { const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, observer) => { => { if ( { lazyLoader(); // You should define lazyLoader() elsewhere or inline here // Run once } }); }, { rootMargin: '800px', threshold: 0.1 }); } else { // Fallback setTimeout(lazyLoader, 3000); } });
