Manny Pacquiao is a matter of weeks away from making a sensational return to boxing.
The 46-year-old from the Philippines will face reigning WBC world welterweight champion Mario Barrios at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday July 19.
Pacquiao is making a comeback from a four year hiatus after he announced his retirement from the sport shortly after he was beaten by former WBA welterweight champion Yordenis Ugas in the summer of 2021.
Despite putting his professional career on hold, ‘PacMan’ returned in exhibition contests against mixed martial artists DK Yoo and Rukiya Anpo in 2022 and 2024 respectively.
One man who has more experience than anyone in sharing the ring with Pacquiao is retired Mexican legend Juan Manuel Marquez, who clashed with the Filipino great on four occasions throughout his tenure which spanned between 1993 and 2014.
In an interview with The Ring Magazine, Marquez paid homage to the punching power of his former rival, admitting that none of his opponents had as much power as ‘PacMan’ – ‘nobody hit me harder’.
“Pacquiao: In all the fights I had, nobody hit me harder than him.”
Marquez went on to give Pacquiao even more praise, claiming he was the ‘best pound-for-pound fighter’ of an entire generation.
“He took a good shot and he always returned stronger. He is great at closing his defense, he has a good guard and it is very hard to land (a clean punch). After four fights with him, I was able to know him better. I also learned his mistakes.
“When he fought, he moved his hips a lot. Then I analyzed that all his power came from there, in the hips. I understood that he couldn’t do his power moves and he would have problems if I used speed so I started fighting different. Without doubt, the best pound-for-pound of his time and I faced him at his best.”
Pacquiao will become the oldest welterweight champion of all time should he be victorious over Barrios and is already targeting lightweight star Gervonta Davis for his next fight.
