The boxing world is gearing up for an action-packed weekend and one of the fights making headlines is the highly anticipated return of Manny Pacquiao to the ring. The 46-year-old Filipino legend will take on Mario Barrios, the current WBC welterweight champion, in a fight that has generated heated debate. However, one of the most authoritative voices in boxing, Terence Crawford, has given his prediction, generating even more excitement.
Pacquiao has decided to return to the ring after a couple of years out of action and this has generated both positive and negative comments. His advanced age has been the target of criticism from boxing fans, who doubt that the Filipino can really put on a good show. However, there are other figures in the sport who do have faith in him, one of them being Terence Crawford.
Terence Crawford’s prediction
In a recent interview with Boxing Social, Crawford revealed that he strongly supports ‘PacMan’ to take the victory, despite the doubts surrounding a boxer of his age. For ‘Bud’, the key to Pacquiao’s success lies in two factors: his experience and his power. “I’m betting on Manny. I just think the experience and the power. That’s going to carry him to victory,” he said.
Interestingly, Crawford’s prediction marks a notable shift in his stance. Just a month earlier, in an interview with Sporting News Australia, ‘Bud’ had labeled the fight as a “50-50” due to Pacquiao’s advanced age. This turn in his prediction suggests that Crawford has seen something in Pacquiao’s training that has convinced him of his potential to win.
Pacquiao’s return is undoubtedly a monumental challenge. He has not won a fight since 2019, when he defeated Keith Thurman, and his last professional fight, almost four years ago, was a loss to Yordenis Ugas. In addition, the 16-year age difference with Barrios (30), a boxer in his prime, is a factor that many analysts consider crucial.
Manny Pacquiao’s preparation
The Filipino boxer has been training with great intensity for his long-awaited return, in fact, he has shared on social media many videos and photos of himself preparing and also motivates himself by impersonating Rocky, from the mythical movie, as he has used his famous song to motivate himself.
With all the noise on social media about Pacquiao’s return, we can only wait until this weekend and see if the Filipino was really ready to get back in the ring or if it was just marketing.
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