00:00Welcome back boxing fans, today we are going to talk about Manny Pacquiao's comeback at the age
00:05of 46. As trainer Buboy Fernandez told Fight Hype, don't judge the number, judge the punch.
00:12Philippine boxing legend Manny Pacquiao is set to make comeback at age 46,
00:16facing WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios in a highly anticipated fight slated for Saturday,
00:22July 19th, in Las Vegas. Although the venue has yet to be confirmed, and promoters have not
00:28officially announced the event, Pacquiao's camp revealed the news late last week.
00:33The announcement comes just hours after the former senator conceded defeat in his recent bid to return
00:39to the Philippine Senate. Despite the political loss, Pacquiao reaffirmed his dedication to public
00:44service, stating, the fight continues, service continues, for God, for the country, for each
00:51Filipino. Pacquiao, whose last professional fight was a unanimous decision loss to Jordanus Ugas
00:58in August 2021.
01:28His most recent appearance, the non-scoring exhibition against former K1 champion Rukia Ampo that ended
01:39in an uneventful draw, drew criticism and raised concerns about his ongoing participation in
01:45the sport.
02:15The upcoming bout will align with Pacquiao's formal induction into the International Boxing
02:23Hall of Fame, scheduled for June 5 to 8 in Canastota, New York. The eight-division world
02:29champion, who turned professional in 1995, boasts a record of 62 wins, eight losses,
02:35and two draws, including 39 knockouts. He remains the only boxer in history to capture
02:41world titles in eight different weight divisions, ranging from flyweight to super welterweight.
02:47Mario Barrios, 29 wins, two defeats, one draw, and with 18 knockouts, retained his WBC title
02:54following a controversial draw against Abel Ramos in November.
03:11He was previously in discussions to fight Pacquiao last year, but the bout didn't come together
03:37until now. While some observers view Barrios as a very winnable opponent for the aging Pacquiao,
03:44he is still expected to present a formidable challenge. Pacquiao and his team arrived in
03:49Los Angeles on Sunday to kick off training camp for the upcoming fight. A formal press conference
03:54is anticipated in the coming days. On May 20, 2025, Pacquiao posted footage of his first training session
04:02at the Wild Card Gym on his official YouTube channel, where the iconic eight-division world
04:07champion reunited with familiar faces, most notably his longtime trainer, Freddie Roach.
04:14Few people understand Manny Pacquiao's abilities in the ring better than Hall of Fame boxing trainer,
04:20Freddie Roach. It's a tough challenge for anyone at his age to attempt what Manny's doing,
04:25but if anyone's capable of it, it's Manny, Roach said in an interview with the ring.
04:30I'm quite concerned about Pacquiao, said top-ranked CEO Bob Arum, though he added that he'd still be
04:37cheering for the legendary fighter to come out on top. I can't speak negatively about Manny,
04:42as he meant a lot to us and our company, Arum said. However, it's quite concerning that he would
04:48choose to step into the ring with a champion fighter at his age. That said, I will definitely
04:54be cheering for him because he's a wonderful person who has meant a lot to our company.
05:00Hall of Fame trainer, Teddy Atlas, was even more straightforward. In an interview,
05:06he expressed concerns about whether Pacquiao is coming back for the right reasons.
05:11I hope Manny Pacquiao isn't fighting for money because the great Manny Pacquiao,
05:16with all his achievements both in and out of the ring, has done so much for his people,
05:20the Filipino community, and boxing fans around the world.
05:24It's got to worry you if you're a human being. There's no dues that are involved. There's no
05:30membership, you know, fees. You just have to care. I'm very concerned. I don't want to stop anyone
05:38from making a living. Be concerned with a guy, a great man, who's helped his people, who's fought
05:44for his people, who's lifted his people up, who's given away money to his people, probably too much.
05:50I'm concerned that he's got to fight a young guy that has been active, and I'm concerned. I'm concerned about that. That's it for me.
06:03Trainer Buboy Fernandez defended Pacquiao's choice. Don't judge the number, judge on the punches, Fernandez told FightHype, addressing critics worried about the boxer's age.
06:13We can train hard for this fight. It's a very, very important fight. But, yeah, I promise, as a head coach, of course, all the team Pacquiao don't work together with that.
06:23People, they have a comment that, you know, Manny's 14 years old, but I'll show you.
06:28No, don't judge the number. We judge the punch. But Manny Pacquiao's still strong.
06:36Pacquiao's pride, legacy, and power are back in the spotlight. On July 19th, we'll see if the legend still has the
06:43punch to live up to his name. Thanks for tuning in. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more
06:49boxing insights. Until next time, keep your gloves up and your chin down.
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