LAS VEGAS – History was on the brink, but it will have to wait. And that bid might even occur against a new opponent.
At age 46, Manny Pacquiao led on the scorecards heading into the championship rounds, he lasted until the 12-round decision was read, and by virtue of his majority draw with WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios Saturday night at MGM Grand Garden Arena, he will fight again.
Yet, while the 16-years-younger Barrios agreed to provide Pacquiao a rematch after sweeping the final three rounds on all three judges’ scorecards, Pacquiao’s advisor Sean Gibbons said afterward that Pacquiao’s more appetizing choices are new WBA welterweight champion Rolly Romero and unbeaten lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis.
Judge Max DeLuca scored Saturday’s bout in front of 13,107 fans at 115-113 for Barrios, and Tim Cheatham and Steve Weisfeld each turned in 114-114 scorecards.
Pacquiao, 62-8-3, returning from a four-year absence and his June International Boxing Hall of Fame induction, swept the first, sixth, eighth and ninth rounds, exhibiting a more versatile, showman-like effort in which he shined at the close of many rounds and moved more than the jab-heavy, more statuesque Barrios 29-2-2.
“Although the decision did not favor me and I’m sad, I did my best in the ring after not fighting for four years. I really thought I won the fight, and ‘Pac-Man’ is back,” Pacquiao said afterward, crediting the inspired effort to “working hard and discipline” during the two months he spent preparing at Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California.
In hindsight, Pacquiao said he should have “thrown more combinations and been more aggressive to knock him out,” while finishing more forcefully during the final rounds.
Pacquiao said he rushed this eight-week camp after losing election for the Philippines senate in mid-May and will devote a three-month camp before he fights next.
“I slowed down during the last few rounds. It doesn’t mean I [tied] the fight,” said Pacquiao, who flexed his experience by flashing more varied attacks, by finishing rounds with crowd-pleasing flurries and discouraging Barrios’ body punches by alleging to referee Thomas Taylor that a few of those shots were low blows.
“Yes, even though he’s taller than me, I was able to use my techniques, going side by side and throwing more combinations,” Pacquiao said.
Final punch stats showed Pacquiao landed 101 of 577 punches while Barrios connected on 120 of 658 punches – each posting a margin less than 20%.
The most common question on the way out of the MGM Grand Garden Arena was, “How’d you have it?”
An informal survey found no one scoring it for Barrios and several siding with Pacquiao by scores of 116-112 and greater, explaining the accomplishment should have received extra credit for occurring at age 46.
Pacquiao didn’t lose and he wasn’t beat up, as some of his fans feared in believing this event was bound to repeat the sad history of battered older former champions, such as Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis and others.
“Most of the fans thought I won. I’m so thankful to God, He gave me strength and good health,” Pacquiao said.
With Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach assessing his fighter won 116-112, he proposed landing a rematch with Barrios right away, and Barrios trainer Bob Santos was told by a Premier Boxing Champions executive that will be the primary focus.
“Mario Barrios retained his title [with a second consecutive draw], he’s still champion and one judge had us winning,” Santos said. “It was a good competitive fight. Who wouldn’t want to see that fight again? Now, they’ve got a history together, and the score needs to be settled.”
Barrios called the bout “one hell of an experience,” and admitted he exercised too much caution with the record eight-division champion who has boxed professionally for 30 years, compiling 510 rounds.
“He still has a lot of crack – he’s very explosive, very tricky. I was trying not to make a mistake by overcommitting,” Barrios said. “Certain adjustments were difficult to make because of his style and experience. He’s a veteran, a legend … he used his experience to make it difficult to find my rhythm.
“My corner told me to pick it up [down the stretch]. The last few rounds, I was, for sure. We’re very proud of what we proved and I retain my title.”
Barrios said he’d stage a Pacquiao rematch “with no hesitation. … If he wants to run it back, I’m with it.”
Yet, Pacquiao advisor Gibbons was briefed on Saturday’s initial pay-per-view figures, and said he prefers a bigger name more successful with selling pay-per-views.
“To come here tonight and get hosed like this really puts a sour taste,” Gibbons said. “At his age, what he did, getting in and out, hurting Barrios a few times with Barrios missing … .
“I don’t see why Barrios again. There’s Rolly Romero, ‘Tank’ Davis. Why do it again? Mario Barrios doesn’t draw anything and brings nothing to the table but that belt. Rolly Romero would be an unbelievably fun fight and one hell of a promotion.”
Gibbons said Pacquiao could benefit from one month off, return to training and be ready to fight again around his 47th birthday in December.
“I was blown away. It was like he never lost his speed. He’s not that Manny Pacquiao, with the classic legs. But if you fight a guy like Rolly, whose feet stay in cement, Manny will look vintage. Same with Gervonta, who’s not a real big mover.
“He didn’t make history because they robbed him of it, but it was an incredible feat. No one in the smaller weights does this. This was the night it should’ve happened. Not in December.”
Also Saturday, WBC junior-middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora more convincingly repeated his March 2024 split-decision victory over Australia’s Tim Tszyu by knocking down Tszyu in the first round and forcing him to retire on his stool before the eighth round.
“I saw him not wanting to get hit, and we took advantage of that … we’re hitting hard,” said the 6-feet-6 Fundora, who said he’ll soon attend Harvard, studying engineering.
Fundora said he’s willing to fight at least once more this year, and would like to start against the Saturday WBO title winner between Puerto Rico’s Xander Zayas and Jorge Garcia Perez.
Fundora surrendered his WBO title to fight Tszyu in a richer bout instead of meeting mandatory foe Zayas.
“If I could fight two more times this year, I would, but I’ll watch the Zayas fight. I want my belt back,” he said.
