On May 8, it was announced that former eight-time world champion and boxing legend Manny Pacquiao would be returning to the ring to fight WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios later this summer.
Pacquiao is currently 46 years old, hasn’t fought since suffering a unanimous decision loss against Yordenis Ugas on August 21, 2021, and has not won a fight since earning a split decision victory over Keith Thurman on July 20, 2019.
All of these reasons indicate why many in the boxing community are lamenting Pacquiao coming out of retirement, and chastising the WBC for allowing it and putting him in the ring against their reigning welterweight champion.
One person who made it extremely clear that he doesn’t agree with Pacquiao’s return is DAZN boxing analyst Ade Oladipo, which he conveyed in a May 13 episode of Ariel & Ade.
“This is embarrassing,” Oladipo said. “But it’s also a bit disgraceful. Manny Pacquiao, as you just said, is 46 years of age… It is clear to see that this guy can no longer do it at any level, let alone world championship level. And Manny Pacquiao is a volume fighter… You can’t do that type of output at 46. It’s just not gonna be there. I find it almost comical what [the WBC] are doing.
“Look, fighters will always want to fight,” Oladipo continued. “It’s up to the sanctioning bodies, it’s up to athletic commissions to say, ‘No, you can’t. Your time’s up.’ And of course, it’s up with Manny Pacquiao. I mean, it’s bordering on disgraceful.”
