Manny Pacquiao and Mario Barrios fought to a draw on Sunday, July 20 (Manila time), at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, USA.
At 46, the eight-division world champion, eager to relive his former glory, showed flashes of the brilliance that made him a legend but fell short of pulling off an improbable win late in his career.
Manny entered the match as the underdog, with his age and four-year hiatus from boxing weighing heavily on public expectations.
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His last professional bout was in August 2021, when he lost to Yordenis Ugas via unanimous decision.
Manny also faced an opponent with a four-inch reach advantage and over six inches in height, adding concerns about whether the Filipino boxing legend could land significant punches or hold a solid defense against a more imposing foe.
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THE BOXING MATCH
Manny opened the fight as the aggressor, though it was clear he had slowed down and was far from the flashy fighter he once was.
Though some of his punches and combinations landed, they lacked their usual power, leading viewers to think Mario, 30, was merely biding his time, waiting for Manny to tire in the later rounds.
To his credit, Manny made his younger opponent work for every jab and punch, keeping each round competitive and the scores close until the final bell.
At times, Mario appeared passive and failed to show the aggressiveness he had promised against his older opponent, but still did enough to retain his WBC World Welterweight title
In the end, the fight was declared a draw, with two judges scoring it 114-114 and another giving a narrow 115-113 edge to Mario.
Despite the draw, Manny, who was inducted into boxing’s Hall of Fame this June, impressed fans by holding his own against a younger and taller opponent, and coming close to victory.
As expected, public reaction to the result was mixed: some agreed with the judges’ decision, while others believed Manny was robbed of both the win and a chance to make history.
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