Manny Pacquiao will return to the ring at 46 despite heading to the exhibition circuit following a 2021 retirement.
After missing out on a fight with UK welterweight Conor Benn, whose team made an offer to Pacquiao, the Filipino great has fallen into a WBC title shot.
MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons exclusively told Worldboxingnews.com of their intentions to face Mario Barrios on May 31, 2024.
Almost a year later, that breaking news has come to fruition.
Pacquiao’s right-hand man had responded to a sounding out by Benn and his handler, Eddie Hearn. All parties were initially on board for a Saudi Arabia collision.
Benn’s drug test failures delayed negotiations, and Pacquiao moved on. However, WBN believes Benn’s pursuit dragged Pacquiao into wanting another fight in his mid-forties.
Pacquiao vs. Barrios is close to being finalized. Unlike the Benn fight, a Pac-Man win will significantly impact the current 147-pound climate.
Before the possibility of a Barrios bout, Pacquiao had gone for the money. He was scratching around, facing Combat YouTubers and kickboxers, plus getting linked to fighting influencers and old MMA stars.
Manny Pacquiao comeback After a few weeks of testing the waters with fans, another star-studded Las Vegas event has enticed Gibbons and Pacquiao to return despite the latter’s defeat to underdog opponent Yordenis Ugas last time.
After the unanimous decision loss, Pacquiao announced his retirement, but Premier Boxing Champions wants to bring back the old hand.
A combination of Gibbons, Barrios, the WBC, and the fans has punted Pacquiao back on the field to bid for one or possibly two more tries for the end zone.
If the Barrios fight fails, Brian Norman Jr. will be open to giving Pacquiao a second shot, provided he gives a good showing on July 19 at the T-Mobile Arena. – If you use these WBN quotes, please link back to the source: https://www.worldboxingnews.com/manny-pacquiao-punted-retirement-46/
