Amir Khan has shared a ring with Manny Pacquiao and Mario Barrios ahead of the pair’s upcoming world title fight.
And with Pacquiao set to make his boxing return aged 46 in July to face Barrios, there are few better than Khan to decipher what the outcome of the fight will be.
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Pacquiao takes on the monumental task of fighting for a world title against WBC welterweight champion Barrios on July 19.
Former Olympic medallist and WBC lightweight champion Khan trained and sparred with Pacquiao back in 2008, and he’s also traded leather with 30-year-old Barrios.
He said his sparring with Pacquiao was ‘really competitive’ and ‘an honour.’
But despite sharing ‘maybe 300 rounds’ with Pacquiao, Bolton’s Khan believes the challenge ahead for the pound-for-pound great is a risky one.
“I think it will be a fantastic fight but if I was to advise Manny I wouldn’t say to come back,” Khan said, speaking to Sky Sports.
“You should come back to someone that’s already retired, someone like myself, for example, because then it’s an even fight.
“But when you look at a young fighter who’s still a fighter, who’s still boxing, who’s active, sometimes it’s dangerous.”
Khan was linked to fight Pacquiao for the majority of his career, but it never came to fruition.
In April, the 38-year-old even told talkSPORT that he would welcome a boxing return to fight ‘Pac Man’ if the offer was there.
“At the end of the day, he’s been out of the ring for a long time and has he still got the fire in his belly?” Khan added.
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“Barrios, I’m sure he’s going to come in wanting to win this fight because it can change his life.”
Barrios was crowned the WBC interim welterweight champion when he defeated Yordenis Ugas in September 2023.
Ugas was the last person to fight Pacquiao, outpointing the Filipino legend in August 2021.
Barrios has boxed five times since the aforementioned clash, and was elevated to full world champion status last June when Terence Crawford vacated the strap to move up to super welterweight and fight Canelo Alvarez.
“It’s a fantastic fight for Mario, he needs that big fight,” Khan concluded.
“He’ll be paid well and fighting a legend like Manny Pacquiao, who would say no to that?
“Mario deserves this fight because every fighter wants that big payday. It will be fantastic for him.
“When me and Virgil [Hunter] were training together, I used to spar with him quite a lot.
“He’s a very good boxer. I don’t know how much Manny’s got left in him.
“If they were in their prime, in their peak, then I’d say all day Manny Pacquiao. But this could be a tricky fight for Pacquiao.
“A long lay-off and at the same time you’re always that one punch away from getting hurt.
“He doesn’t need to come back but sometimes you do miss the sport.
“Manny might miss not having that recognition, that love he used to get being a fighter. But I’m sure people will turn up to watch him.”
Pacquiao is regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time as an eight-division world champion.
His last outing saw him struggle against Japanese kickboxer Rukiya Anpo in July 2024, when fans pleaded for him to hang up the gloves after an extremely tough night.
He faced significant opposition to any further return, with the boxing fraternity keen for him to avoid any risk.
But he has since been inducted into the WBC rankings following the announcement that he would be making a return to the sport.
Promoter Frank Warren believes it is a bad look for the sport.
Manny Pacquiao
Stats
- Age: 46
- Nationality: Philippines
- Nickname: ‘Pac Man’
- Bouts: 72
- Record: 62-8-2
- Career: 1995-2021
“It’s not boxing doing it, it’s the governing body,” Warren told talkSPORT.
“That rests with them … George Foreman came back and won the title at 50 years old.
“You come in and test the waters, going straight into a world title fight, I don’t understand that.
“For me it doesn’t sit well with me for the sport. I’ve got to be honest, I don’t agree with it.
“There was talk of Wladimir Klitschko, but these guys are well past their sell-by date, that is the truth.
“And the facts are it doesn’t do the business or the sport any good.”
