Manny Pacquiao is stepping back into the boxing ring in a comeback at 46, and he says he’s not just doing it for nostalgia.
The boxing legend confirmed his return to the sport, with a welterweight world title fight against Mario Barrios lined up for July in Las Vegas. This comes nearly four years after his last bout and a brief dive into the world of politics.
“Right now, the book of politics is closed. It’s not even in my mind,” Pacquiao said. “I’m focusing on my career as a boxer again.” He made it clear, this isn’t just a one-off. He’s gearing up for a serious run and wants to remind fans what made him a global icon in the first place.
The last time we saw Pacquiao in the ring was back in 2021 when he lost to Yordenis Ugas. Reflecting on that fight, Pacquiao admits he wasn’t at his best. “I trained wrong for that fight. My legs began cramping, and I couldn’t move. He was a very slow opponent, and I couldn’t believe I couldn’t move my feet or my legs,” he explained. Now, he’s reuniting with longtime trainer Freddie Roach and is confident he’s back in the right rhythm.
“The old Manny will be back,” Manny Pacquiao promised, signaling that fans should expect the explosive style and relentless energy from his boxing comeback, he was once known for. His training camp is already underway, and he says the motivation that carried him through decades of elite fights is still burning strong.
“I can still do my job in boxing. I’m not done yet. The fire, the determination, the eagerness to train and work hard, it’s still there. It’s amazing,” he said. It’s a bold claim from a fighter nearing 50, but Pacquiao has never been one to back down from a challenge.
He also opened up about the emotional difficulty of retiring back in 2021. “That moment when I announced I was hanging up my gloves four years ago, I was so sad. I couldn’t avoid the tears. I really missed boxing. For however many months, I was like, I’m not a boxer anymore?”
Now, with politics on pause and his heart set on the ring, Pacquiao’s goal is clear: to make a legitimate run at another world title. His opponent, Mario Barrios, is younger and active, but that doesn’t seem to faze him. Pacquiao believes that with the right preparation, he still belongs at the top.
Fans will find out in July if the “old Manny” really is back. Either way, the boxing world will be watching.
Alex Carter is an experienced sports journalist with over a decade of covering international and domestic sports events. From the roar of football stadiums to the high-octane energy of F1 tracks, Alex delivers in-depth analysis and exclusive interviews with sports icons. His passion for sports extends to coaching local youth teams on weekends.
