Manny Pacquiao‘s world title showdown with Mario Barrios is just a few weeks away.
Pacquiao will make an ambitious comeback at the age of 46 as he challenges WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on July 19.
It will be Pacquiao’s first professional fight since back in August 2021, when he lost a WBA welterweight title fight to Yordenis Ugas by unanimous decision.
‘Pac-Man’ has gone up against some huge names at 147lbs throughout his legendary career, including Floyd Mayweather, Shane Mosley, Tim Bradley and Keith Thurman.
One man that Pacquiao never fought though was two-time welterweight champion Shawn Porter, though the pair did spar one another in the past.
Porter has now given his take on the upcoming battle against Barrios whilst speaking on The Porter Way Podcast, believing that the match-up could favour ‘Pac-Man.’
“It’s so hard because he is Manny Pacquiao right? So it is what it is. He’s either gonna come to the ring and be able to be fast enough to get off the s**t that he used to get off on, and if he does he clocks him and he knocks him out.
“What I know without going into detail, that left hand against that right hand, his left hand always gets there quicker than the other guy’s right hand, not only that, Azteca is a forward fighter, moving into that left hand so this is kind of a match made in heaven for Pacquiao.”
While Pacquiao’s last fight may have been a defeat to Ugas, Barrios himself defeated the Cuban back in September 2023. With that in mind, Ugas has given his prediction for the upcoming bout having experienced what it is like to face both men.
