Manny Pacquiao’s return to boxing has sparked massive excitement – and a few raised eyebrows. Much like Mike Tyson’s comeback last year, the Filipino icon’s reentry into the ring brings both admiration and concern. Roy Jones Jr., for one, is rooting for Pacquiao – but with a word of caution.
In late May, Pacquiao confirmed he would return to face American Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title. The announcement set the boxing world abuzz, with fans and analysts trading hot takes and predictions.
Barrios enters the bout as the odds-on favorite at 1-3 (-300), while Pacquiao stands at 12-5 (+240). But Jones is betting on experience and grit – not numbers.
Jones Is All In on Pacquiao
Back in early June, during his Hall of Fame induction, Jones told EsNews’ Elie Seckbach, “I gotta go with Pacquiao.” He likened the Filipino legend to himself, calling him an “old-school fighter” who still laces up “for the love of the game.”
And his faith hasn’t faded. On July 4, Jones reiterated his prediction and brushed aside concerns about Pacquiao’s age or health. “Manny is different from a lot of guys. He’s special,” he said confidently.
He even laid out a game plan:
“If you stay away from Barrios for the first six rounds and fight smart, he’ll beat Barrios,” Jones said. “But if he goes in there trying to trade, Barrios will catch him.”
Pacquiao, Trading Punches With Father Time
Jones, who fought until age 54, scoffed at concerns over Pacquiao fighting at 46.
“How can a man who fought at 54 have any concerns about anybody under that age?” he said. “I love him more than I love myself? No way. So I’m 54, why worry about him at 46?”
He doubled down on Pacquiao’s preparation:
“Manny’s a consummate professional. He knows how to handle himself. He knows what he’s up against, what he’s challenging, what Barrios is – he knows everything.”
So while Jones is backing the challenger, he’s not sugarcoating the risk. What started as a vote of confidence ended with a clear warning: underestimate Barrios, and things could get ugly.
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