Manny Pacquiao Is the Latest Legendary Boxer to Get the Itch to Fight Again

All-time great boxer fades from the spotlight, finds discontent in retirement, and is eventually lured back into the ring.

We’ve seen it time and time again. A 58-year-old Mike Tyson returned after a 19-year absence to fight Jake Paul last November. An undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. retired in 2017 after improving his record to 50-0, yet he’s fought eight exhibition bouts since then, including in August 2024.

Hall of Famer Sugar Ray Leonard made a mockery of the word “retirement” as he hung up his gloves in 1982 only to come back, then retire again in 1984, again in 1987, again in 1991, and finally for good in 1997.

Now it’s Manny Pacquaio, who officially retired in 2021 after 72 fights, a 62-8-2 record, and a 26-year pro career that made him the only eight-division world champion in boxing history. However, that itch is not scratched, and a 46-year-old Pacquiao will step back into the ring Saturday to fight Mario Barrios for the latter’s WBC welterweight championship.

Pacquiao’s last official fight saw him drop a unanimous decision to Yordenis Ugas in August 2021. Ugas was a last-minute replacement for Pacquiao’s original opponent, Errol Spence, who suffered an eye injury, while Ugas was originally on that fight’s undercard versus a different challenger. Ugas’s WBA (Super) welterweight title was on the line back in 2021, but Pacquiao was outclassed and provided lots more activity than actual achievement. He threw twice as many punches as Ugas but landed fewer than his opponent.

In a post-fight interview, the then-42-year-old floated the idea of retirement, then made it official the next month amid his run for president in the 2022 Philippine election. He was then a senator in his native land, and while he came up short in the presidential bid—and then again in a 2025 Senate bid—he managed to stay away from the ring. But he never completely shut the door and tried to qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics but was not allowed to participate due to the IOC having a 40-year-old age limit for boxers.

Then in May 2025 it was revealed during the Canelo Alvarez-William Scull fight that Pacquiao had already been cleared by the Nevada State Athletic Commission to return to the ring. Additionally, in the WBC rulebook it states that any of its former champions can request a title fight after coming out of retirement. Pacquiao took advantage of this rule, and later that month he officially announced he was ending his four-year retirement.

Already the oldest welterweight champion in boxing history at the age of 40, Pacquiao will attempt to break his own record Saturday. He did admit that his legs were “tight” in that defeat to Ugas, and while training to fight Spence only to face a last-minute replacement didn’t do Pacquiao any favors, Ugas was in the same boat. Interestingly, Ugas has fought twice since beating Pacquiao, and those bouts were conveniently against Spence and Barrios. He lost both bouts and hasn’t fought since September 2023.

Prior to his defeat to Ugas, Pacquiao had three straight victories, so it wasn’t exactly like he was a fading fighter. But by the time Saturday rolls around, it will be one day shy of being exactly six years since Pacquiao last had his hand raised by the referee.

As for his upcoming opponent, Barrios, on paper, is a huge mismatch. Not only is the native of San Antonio 16 years younger, but he has a massive advantage in the tale of the tape. Barrios stands 6 feet tall compared with the 5-foot-6 Pacquiao. Barrios also has a four-inch reach advantage and has been much more active as of late. He’s had five bouts since the last time Pacquiao stepped into the ring, including that win over Ugas to claim the WBC interim welterweight title, and he also drew with Abel Ramos on the undercard of the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight in November.

Barrios has a 29-2-1 record with 18 wins via knockout. He does have one knockout defeat on his resume, courtesy of Tank Davis in 2021, but Pacquiao’s punching power has never been a defining characteristic of his arsenal—he has just one knockout win over the last 15 years.

Ten of Pacquiao’s last 11 fights have gone to the scorecards, and it would be shocking if Pacquiao vs. Barrios didn’t do the same. The current champion is the favorite, which isn’t surprising considering Pacquiao’s age and lengthy layoff, but this doesn’t have the looks of a one-off for Pacquiao if he manages to pull off the upset.

There’s no telling what path he would take afterwards if he became a 46-year-old welterweight champion, but potential unification bouts could be on the horizon. Jaron Ennis is the current WBA (Super) champion, with Rolando Romero the regular champion. Also, Brian Norman Jr. holds the WBO welterweight title, so there are several options on the board for Pacquiao.

But first, he needs to take care of business Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the site of two of the defining matches of his career. He defeated Oscar De La Hoya at the venue in 2008 but lost to Mayweather there in 2015.

Not only will Pacquiao vs. Barrios mark a legend’s return to the ring, but that legend will step into the squared circle for the first time as a Hall of Famer. It was just last month that Pacquiao was enshrined into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, and now he has a chance to become an active Hall of Fame boxing champion.