A signature boxing event for the fall schedule continues to gather pace as Bob Santos, the trainer for Mario Barrios, told World Boxing News this week that a prospective match involving his fighter against all-time great Manny Pacquiao could take place in “October, November.”
This follows exclusive reporting from World Boxing News throughout the last month as we said that Pacquiao was gunning for a title shot at 45 years old on May 31 and then reported days later that the WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman was open to a petition from Pacquiao for a shot at the WBC championship.
The sanctioning body voted to elevate former welterweight interim titleholder Barrios to full championship status on June 18. When this happened, word got through to Team Barrios that Pacquiao wanted to fight, and positive talks escalated between the camps.
“Once Mario was getting elevated, Pacquiao wanted to make history, and Barrios is the guy that he wants to fight for the WBC title,” Santos told World Boxing News.
