Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao reportedly is set to return to the ring after a lengthy layoff.
Per ESPN’s Andreas Hale, Pacquiao will end his nearly four-year retirement when he faces Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight championship on July 19 in Las Vegas.
The first and only eight-division champion in boxing history, Pacquiao last fought in August 2021 when he lost a unanimous decision to Yordenis Ugas for the WBA (Super) welterweight championship. He later announced his retirement on social media along with his intentions to pursue a political career.
The 46-year-old participated in an exhibition boxing match against kickboxer Rukiya Anpo at Super RIZIN 3 last July, sparking rumors that he could be making his return to the sport. He and Barrios have been linked together for a potential match dating back to last year.
Pacquiao is set to be inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame next month. He’s also continued his political career and is in a close Senate race in the Philippines, where he served as senator from 2016 to 2022. Hale noted that a previous report said Pacquiao “won’t formally announce his return to boxing until after the election on May 12,” but indications are that his “return to boxing is imminent.”
Barrios last fought in November on the undercard of the Netflix event headlined by Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson. He fought Abel Ramos to a draw, allowing him to retain his WBC welterweight title.
The co-main event will be a rematch between unified junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora and Tim Tszyu following their March 2024 meeting that Fundora won by split decision on short notice in a major upset. The fight card will be broadcast on PBC on Prime Video pay-per-view.
