Manny Pacquiao’s return to the ring ended in a controversial majority draw against reigning WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios on Sunday morning (Manila time) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The judges’ scorecards read 115-113 in favor of Barrios from Max De Luca, while Tim Cheatham and Steve Weisfeld both scored it even at 114-114, allowing Barrios to retain his title in what many observers saw as a fight Pacquiao had done enough to win.
The draw pushes Pacquiao’s professional record to 62 wins, 8 losses, and 3 draws, while Barrios moves to 29 wins, 2 losses, and 2 draws.
“I thought I won the fight. It was a close fight,” said Pacquiao.
The fight marked Pacquiao’s first bout in nearly three years, yet he wasted no time showing he still had the speed and footwork that once made him one of boxing’s most feared fighters.
In the opening round, Pacquiao found rhythm early, while Barrios spent much of the round gauging distance and pace. Despite Barrios staying active with the jab in round two, Pacquiao’s sharper combinations began to take effect, keeping the defending champion on the defensive.
However, the tide shifted in the third when Barrios picked up the pace, targeting Pacquiao’s body and landing several clean shots. He found success with his jab and control of the ring in the fourth and fifth rounds, pushing Pacquiao onto the back foot and limiting his combinations.
The fifth round particularly exposed Pacquiao’s continued struggles defending against the jab, with Barrios landing at will.
In round six, Pacquiao came alive again. Showing flashes of his vintage self, he darted in and out with rapid bursts of punches that overwhelmed Barrios. The seventh and eighth rounds featured aggressive barrages from the Filipino icon, who pinned Barrios down and unloaded combinations from all angles.
By round nine, the momentum had clearly swung in Pacquiao’s favor. Barrios became a stationary target, absorbing punishment and failing to mount any meaningful offense. Pacquiao’s movement and pressure dictated the pace, as he closed the distance and controlled the exchanges.
Barrios found a second wind in round ten, mixing up his offense and landing with more variety, but Pacquiao had already established command over the middle rounds. Barrios had his strongest moment in round eleven when he caught Pacquiao cleanly and momentarily staggered him, marking the only instance in the fight where the Filipino appeared vulnerable.
With the match on the line in the final round, both fighters started cautiously. Pacquiao, however, finished stronger, increasing his output in the final thirty seconds as he looked to seal the win in dramatic fashion.
When the final bell rang, many in the arena believed Pacquiao had done enough to claim the victory. The Filipino out-landed Barrios in the later rounds, controlled the tempo, and pushed the champion back for most of the fight’s second half. But the scorecards told a different story.
Despite the draw, the 46-year-old Pacquiao showed that he can still compete against the world’s best.
It was still a big night for Filipino boxing as two of Pacquiao’s compatriots delivered resounding victories in the undercard.
- (C) Jhay Oh Otamias
Former world champion Mark Magsayo dominated Mexican opponent Jorge Mata in their 10-round super-featherweight bout, earning a unanimous decision win at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Magsayo showcased superior speed and ring generalship, cruising to victory with scores of 100-92 twice (from judges Mike Fitzgerald and Jack Reiss) and 98-92 (from Glenn Feldman).
The 30-year-old Boholano boxer improved his record to 28 wins and 2 losses.
(C) Jhay Oh Otamias
Meanwhile, Olympic bronze medalist Eumir Marcial added another explosive finish to his resume, scoring a third-round technical knockout against American fighter Bernard Joseph in their middleweight contest.
Marcial overwhelmed Joseph with a flurry of combinations, culminating in a thunderous straight left that ended the fight at 1:55 of the third round.
The victory keeps Marcial’s pro record perfect at 7-0.
