Pacquiao and Barrios Fight to a Draw; Manny Says He Should Have Won
One judge scored the fight 115-113 for Barrios, while the other two had it even at 114-114. The result allowed Barrios to retain his title, but Pacquiao voiced disappointment, believing he had done enough to win.
'I thought I won the fight. It was a close fight… but it's a wonderful fight,' Pacquiao said post-bout, giving credit to Barrios for his toughness.
Pacquiao started strong, even leading on all three judges' scorecards through nine rounds. But Barrios swept the final three rounds to secure the draw. The Filipino legend, who ended a four-year retirement to make this comeback, said he hoped to inspire others with his return.
'I hope this is an inspiration to boxers that if you have discipline and work hard you can still fight at this age,' Pacquiao said. He hinted at wanting a rematch and admitted his preparation was rushed due to his recent political campaign in the Philippines.
CompuBox stats showed Barrios landing more total punches (120 of 658) than Pacquiao (101 of 577), though Pacquiao had the edge in power punches (81 to 75). The bout marked the latest chapter in Pacquiao's storied career that began with his U.S. debut at the same venue over 24 years ago.
Barrios, who accepted the fight after Pacquiao invoked his right as a former champion to request a title shot, expressed interest in a rematch. 'I'll do the rematch. Absolutely. This was huge for boxing. I'd love to do it again,' he said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Filipino Times
21 hours ago
- Filipino Times
Toni Leviste becomes first Filipino to win international dressage event in Europe
Filipino Olympian and equestrienne Toni Leviste made history after topping the FEI Prix St. George dressage class at the Flemalle CDN in Belgium on Saturday, becoming the first Filipino to win an international dressage competition in Europe. Leviste posted a score of 68.603%, surpassing the 67% qualifying mark set by the Equestrian Association of the Philippines for the Southeast Asian Games. Her performance earned her a slot in the upcoming biennial meet. The 2000 Sydney Olympian outperformed Belgian riders Anneleen Wagemans (66.544%) and Laurens Vanderbeeken (65.956%), who placed second and third, respectively. Leviste rode a Hanoverian gelding named Lacoste 126. She recently transitioned to dressage, a discipline focused on the horse's ability to perform a series of precise, predetermined movements. Leviste won silver in show jumping at the 2002 Asian Games.
Filipino Times
4 days ago
- Filipino Times
Jinkee Pacquiao celebrates 'God's goodness' despite Manny's draw against Barrios
Despite the majority draw that marked Manny Pacquiao's comeback fight against American boxer Mario Barrios, his wife, Jinkee Pacquiao, remained in high spirits and expressed her gratitude and faith. On Instagram post, Jinkee shared her reflections following the bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, where the 46-year-old Filipino boxing icon faced the younger WBC welterweight champion. 'My heart is full, thanks to you all. I'm deeply grateful for all your love, prayers, and support,' she wrote in her caption. Her post featured emotional photos of Manny embracing their children—Jimuel, Michael, Mary, Queenie, and Israel—after the fight. It also included snapshots from the match itself, a family photo, and scenes from the post-fight press conference. In a separate post, Jinkee offered behind-the-scenes moments from the fight night, simply captioned: 'Fight night 🥊 2 Timothy 4:7' along with the hashtag #GodIsGood. The Pacquiao-Barrios match ended in a majority draw, allowing Barrios to retain his WBC welterweight title. Both fighters later expressed interest in a possible rematch.
Gulf Today
4 days ago
- Gulf Today
Pacquiao held to draw by Barrios in world title return
Manny Pacquiao's bid to make a fairytale return to boxing at the age of 46 ended in disappointment on Saturday, as the Filipino icon was held to a draw by defending WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios in Las Vegas. Barrios, 30, retained his belt despite being dominated for several rounds by Pacquiao, making a comeback to the ring after a four-year retirement. Barrios was awarded the fight 115-113 by one judge, with the other two cards scoring it 114-114. The result drew a subdued reaction from the MGM Grand Garden Arena crowd, who had roared on Pacquiao during a cagey, hard-fought contest. At times, it seemed as if Pacquiao was poised to write another improbable chapter in his 30-year professional career as he used all of his guile and experience to frustrate Barrios. But Barrios rallied furiously over the final three rounds -- he was deemed the winner of those rounds on all three cards -- to do just enough to force a result that sees him retain his title. 'I thought I won the fight,' Pacquiao said afterwards. 'I mean, it was a close fight. My opponent was very tough. But it was a wonderful fight. Mario Barrios (left) hits Manny Pacquiao in the 10th round of their WBC welterweight title fight at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday. AFP 'I was trying to find a way to finish the fight but my opponent was so tough. He threw punches in combination and with defense, so it was hard.' Barrios, meanwhile, felt he had done enough to deserve the draw. 'I thought I pulled it out,' Barrios said. 'But I still tip my hat to Manny. It was an honor to share the ring with him, somebody with so much experience who has accomplished so much in this sport. We left everything in the ring, nothing but love and respect.' Barrios admitted he had been awed by Pacquiao's remarkable reserves of energy and stamina. 'That's crazy -- his stamina, he can still crack and he's still strong as hell. His timing, his rhythm, everything. He was still a very awkward fighter to figure out,' he said. Barrios said he had been made aware that he needed to up his workrate to force the result over the closing rounds. 'I knew I had to step it up to try to and solidify a win,' Barrios said. 'I was really pressing him, trying to make him feel old. But he has some good legs -- a lot of the tank and a lot of fight left in him. Pacquiao, meanwhile, said that he hoped to continue fighting, and would be open to a rematch with Barrios. Agence France-Presse
