Latest news with #Pacquiao
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Manny Pacquiao stages inspiring performance in ring. Follow his lead.
You're not too old! It's not too late! Now's the time! Sorry, folks, still feeling inspired by Manny Pacquiao's performance Saturday night. The 46-year-old Filipino boxing legend returned to the ring and astonished the sports world. Victory escaped him. The moment did not. Fighting for the first time in almost four years, Pacquiao battled 30-year-old Mario Barrios, the reigning WBC welterweight champion, to a majority draw. The judges scored it 115-113 (for Barrios), 114-114, 114-114. But the scorecards failed to reflect Pacquiao's performance. The swelling on Barrios' forehead, however, was proof Pacquiao can still punch. Hard. Even more impressive, for much of the 12-round welterweight fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Pacquiao stayed on the move. He darted toward Barrios and landed combinations. He retreated when necessary. He bounced on his feet. Over 12 rounds, 36 minutes of boxing. "It was crazy," Barrios said. "His stamina." So how does a 46-year-old man do it? What's the secret? "Oh, just work hard," Pacquiao told broadcaster Jim Gray in the ring after the fight. "Hard work and then discipline." Mike Tyson likes to say, "Discipline is doing what you hate to do, but doing it like you love it." Of course, Tyson looked every bit 58 when he lost to Jake Paul by unanimous decision Nov. 15. That accounted for some of the trepidation as Pacquiao climbed back into the ring. But much to our delight, Pacquiao looked like you'd want to look at 46. During the fight, and after the fight, fans showered him with chants of "Manny, Manny, Manny!" Perhaps the better way to honor Pacquiao, is to follow his lead. Don't give up. Dig deep. Work hard. Show discipline. Then get in the proverbial ring and, despite any self-doubt, fight Father Time. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Manny Pacquiao reveals keys to inspiring performance in ring
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Manny Pacquiao, Mario Barrios fight to majority draw
Manny Pacquiao's bid to become the oldest welterweight champion in boxing history fell short Saturday night as he failed to beat Mario Barrios at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. But he didn't lose, either. Instead, the 46-year-old Pacquiao and the 30-year-old Barrios fought to a majority draw, with one judge giving Barrios a 115-113 win and the other two judges scoring it a 114-114 draw. The result allowed Barrios (29-2-2, 18 KOs) to retain his WBC welterweight belt. "I thought I won the fight," Pacquiao said afterward. "I mean, it was a close fight. My opponent was very tough. It was a wonderful fight. It was good." Pacquiao (62-8-3, 39 KOs) already holds the record for oldest welterweight champion, winning the belt via split-decision over Keith Thurman in 2019. The Filipino legend was enshrined into the International Boxing Hall of Fame last month. Pacquiao dominated Saturday's fight early on, showing energy against his younger foe. Ultimately, though, CompuBox stats had Barrios landing more punches (120-101) and more jabs (45-20), though Pacquiao landed 81 power punches to Barrios' 75. Pacquiao held the lead on all three cards after 10 rounds, but Barrios took all three rounds on all three scorecards to avoid the upset. Age and stamina were definitely on Pacquiao's mind after the fight. "I need to continue my training for longer going into a championship fight," said Pacquiao, who lost his senatorial bid in the Philippines in May. "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." Don't tell that to Barrios. "His stamina is crazy," the champion said. "He's still strong as hell and his timing is real. He's still a very awkward fighter to try to figure out." As for a rematch, Barrios is ready. "I'll do the rematch. Absolutely. This was huge for boxing. I'd love to do it again." --Field Level Media Field Level Media 2025 - All Rights Reserved
Kuwait Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Kuwait Times
Pacquiao latest boxer to risk legacy for lure of the ring
Former Filipino senator says his comeback is 'not over' LAS VEGAS: Manny Pacquiao's return to the ring at the weekend after a four-year hiatus marked the latest example of a boxer well past his prime who could not resist the temptation of the squared circle and a chance to add to his competitive legacy. The 46-year-old Filipino came out of retirement on Saturday to fight Mario Barrios in Las Vegas but fell short of breaking his own record as the oldest-ever welterweight champion as the American boxer escaped with a majority draw. Fights involving boxers like Pacquiao, who is one of the sport's all-time greats, used to dominate headlines and attract a who's-who of celebrities ringside but there was considerably less buzz around his latest foray into the ring. 'He's a tremendously meaningful fighter, but is this a meaningful fight? Not really,' International Boxing Hall of Fame broadcaster Jim Lampley told Reuters ahead of the fight. 'He's 46 years old. He's been away from the ring for four years. Do I need to say more?' Despite returning to the ring at an advanced age against a boxer 16 years younger than him, Pacquiao put up a valiant effort and even looked to have had the upper hand until late in the bout when Barrios turned up the aggression. Pacquiao, a Filipino senator from 2016 to 2022 and who last month was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, not only silenced some of his critics with his performance but also made clear his comeback is not over. 'Don't worry, the PacMan is back, and the journey will continue,' Pacquiao told reporters after the fight. Pacquiao is hardly the first middle-aged boxer who returned to the ring hoping to roll back the years. Last November, former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson came out of retirement at 58 to face Jake Paul in a fight that did not match the hype. Lampley said it's not surprising to see fighters miss the thrill of the spotlight, even if they are far from their peak, and recounted a time he once asked Sugar Ray Leonard, who made two ill-fated comebacks, why it was so hard to stay away. 'He said 'I have surveyed every thrill a man of my level of privilege can experience. Nothing matches the thrill of stepping out of that corner ... another man facing me from 15 feet away, and trying to prove I am more man than him',' Lampley said. 'He knew why he couldn't quit. He could not give up the thrill of that identity and that experience. It is absolutely an addiction.' Health concerns Like any sport, competing at the highest level presents many challenges as an athlete ages. But in a sport like boxing, which involves repeated blows to the head, it also comes with specific health concerns. Robert Cantu, medical director of the Concussion Legacy Foundation, said the cumulative effect of repeated blows over a career can take a toll and one should be wary of subjecting an aging brain to more injury. 'The reason we don't (want people boxing in their 40s) is that the brain is already starting to lose neural cells after the age of 20, and by the age of 40 you've lost a fair number,' said Cantu. 'And if you keep losing more than you would have otherwise lost because you are having your head rattled around taking blows you are increasing your risk for dementia.' For some aging boxers who still possess name recognition and the ability to land lucrative paydays, that risk appears worth it for them to step back into the ring though one is left to wonder if their fights are doing the sport more harm than good. — Reuters
The Star
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Boxing-Pacquiao latest boxer to risk legacy for lure of the ring
FILE PHOTO: Presidential candidate and former boxing champion Manny Pacquiao poses for a photograph during an interview with Reuters at his campaign headquarters in Makati City, Philippines, April 7, 2022. Picture taken April 7, 2022. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez/File Photo (Reuters) -Manny Pacquiao's return to the ring at the weekend after a four-year hiatus marked the latest example of a boxer well past his prime who could not resist the temptation of the squared circle and a chance to add to his competitive legacy. The 46-year-old Filipino came out of retirement on Saturday to fight Mario Barrios in Las Vegas but fell short of breaking his own record as the oldest-ever welterweight champion as the American boxer escaped with a majority draw. Fights involving boxers like Pacquiao, who is one of the sport's all-time greats, used to dominate headlines and attract a who's-who of celebrities ringside but there was considerably less buzz around his latest foray into the ring. "He's a tremendously meaningful fighter, but is this a meaningful fight? Not really," International Boxing Hall of Fame broadcaster Jim Lampley told Reuters ahead of the fight. "He's 46 years old. He's been away from the ring for four years. Do I need to say more?" Despite returning to the ring at an advanced age against a boxer 16 years younger than him, Pacquiao put up a valiant effort and even looked to have had the upper hand until late in the bout when Barrios turned up the aggression. Pacquiao, a Filipino senator from 2016 to 2022 and who last month was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, not only silenced some of his critics with his performance but also made clear his comeback is not over. "Don't worry, the PacMan is back, and the journey will continue," Pacquiao told reporters after the fight. Pacquiao is hardly the first middle-aged boxer who returned to the ring hoping to roll back the years. Last November, former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson came out of retirement at 58 to face Jake Paul in a fight that did not match the hype. Lampley said it's not surprising to see fighters miss the thrill of the spotlight, even if they are far from their peak, and recounted a time he once asked Sugar Ray Leonard, who made two ill-fated comebacks, why it was so hard to stay away. "He said 'I have surveyed every thrill a man of my level of privilege can experience. Nothing matches the thrill of stepping out of that corner ... another man facing me from 15 feet away, and trying to prove I am more man than him'," Lampley said. "He knew why he couldn't quit. He could not give up the thrill of that identity and that experience. It is absolutely an addiction." HEALTH CONCERNS Like any sport, competing at the highest level presents many challenges as an athlete ages. But in a sport like boxing, which involves repeated blows to the head, it also comes with specific health concerns. Robert Cantu, medical director of the Concussion Legacy Foundation, said the cumulative effect of repeated blows over a career can take a toll and one should be wary of subjecting an aging brain to more injury. "The reason we don't (want people boxing in their 40s) is that the brain is already starting to lose neural cells after the age of 20, and by the age of 40 you've lost a fair number," said Cantu. "And if you keep losing more than you would have otherwise lost because you are having your head rattled around taking blows you are increasing your risk for dementia." For some aging boxers who still possess name recognition and the ability to land lucrative paydays, that risk appears worth it for them to step back into the ring though one is left to wonder if their fights are doing the sport more harm than good. (Reporting by Frank Pingue in TorontoEditing by Toby Davis)
TimesLIVE
4 days ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Pacquiao latest boxer to risk legacy for lure of the ring
Manny Pacquiao's return to the ring at the weekend after a four-year hiatus marked the latest example of a boxer well past his prime who could not resist the temptation of the squared circle and a chance to add to his competitive legacy. The 46-year-old Filipino came out of retirement on Saturday to fight Mario Barrios in Las Vegas but fell short of breaking his own record as the oldest-ever welterweight champion as the American boxer escaped with a majority draw. Fights involving boxers like Pacquiao, who is one of the sport's all-time greats, used to dominate headlines and attract a who's who of celebrities ringside but there was considerably less buzz around his latest foray into the ring. 'He's a tremendously meaningful fighter, but is this a meaningful fight? Not really,' International Boxing Hall of Fame broadcaster Jim Lampley told Reuters ahead of the fight. 'He's 46 years old. He's been away from the ring for four years. Do I need to say more?' Despite returning to the ring at an advanced age against a boxer 16 years younger than him, Pacquiao put up a valiant effort and even looked to have had the upper hand until late in the bout when Barrios turned up the aggression. Manny Pacquiao doing this at 46 years old is insane. #PacquiaoBarrios — Zach '🅂🄲🄷🅄🅉' Schumaker (@_SchuZ_) July 20, 2025 Pacquiao, a Filipino senator from 2016 to 2022 and who last month was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, not only silenced some of his critics with his performance but also made clear his comeback is not over. 'Don't worry, the PacMan is back, and the journey will continue,' Pacquiao told reporters after the fight. Pacquiao is hardly the first middle-aged boxer who returned to the ring hoping to roll back the years. Last November, former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson came out of retirement at 58 to face Jake Paul in a fight that did not match the hype. Lampley said it's not surprising to see fighters miss the thrill of the spotlight, even if they are far from their peak, and recounted a time he once asked Sugar Ray Leonard, who made two ill-fated comebacks, why it was so hard to stay away. 'He said 'I have surveyed every thrill a man of my level of privilege can experience. Nothing matches the thrill of stepping out of that corner ... another man facing me from 15 feet away, and trying to prove I am more man than him',' Lampley said. Reminder: Manny Pacquiao is 46 years old. 😳 (🎥: @premierboxing) — theScore (@theScore) July 20, 2025 'He knew why he couldn't quit. He could not give up the thrill of that identity and that experience. It is absolutely an addiction.' Like any sport, competing at the highest level presents many challenges as an athlete ages. But in a sport like boxing, which involves repeated blows to the head, it also comes with specific health concerns. Robert Cantu, medical director of the Concussion Legacy Foundation, said the cumulative effect of repeated blows over a career can take a toll and one should be wary of subjecting an ageing brain to more injury. 'The reason we don't (want people boxing in their 40s) is that the brain is already starting to lose neural cells after the age of 20, and by the age of 40 you've lost a fair number,' said Cantu. 'And if you keep losing more than you would have otherwise lost because you are having your head rattled around taking blows you are increasing your risk for dementia.' For some ageing boxers who still possess name recognition and the ability to land lucrative paydays, that risk appears worth it for them to step back into the ring though one is left to wonder if their fights are doing the sport more harm than good.
