The return of Manny Pacquiao, confirmed for July 19 in Las Vegas against Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight championship, has generated controversy over the help he was given to offer him a ranking in the division so that he could fight for a title and doubts about whether it will be a one-off appearance or whether he is really ready to compete at 46 years of age.
The legendary Filipino is the only boxer to win world titles in eight different divisions and will return to the ring after a seemingly definitive retirement. His last fight was in August 2021, when he lost by unanimous decision to Cuban fighter Yordenis Ugas in a super welterweight bout for the WBA belt
“This is the hardest decision I’ve ever made, but I’m at peace with it. Chase your dreams, work hard and see what happens. Goodbye to boxing,” Pacman said when announcing his retirement in 2021.
Since then, although his name never disappeared from the media radar, any possibility of a return seemed more linked to nostalgia than to a real sporting strategy.
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