Manny Pacquiao is just weeks away from making a shock return to the ring.
The 46-year-old from the Philippines will face reigning WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios at an unconfirmed venue in Las Vegas on Saturday July 19.
Pacquiao’s last ring appearance came back in 2021 when he was defeated by former WBA welterweight champion Yordenis Ugas. ‘Pac-Man’ has had two exhibition contests since then however, going up against DK Yoo and Rukiya Anpo respectively.
Two-time welterweight champion Shawn Porter has delivered an honest assessment of Pacquiao’s chances of defying the odds and capturing world honours once again at 46-years-old.
Speaking on The PorterWay Podcast, Porter claimed that he believes ‘Pac-Man’ will have what it takes to go into the ring and ‘knock Barrios out’, in what he describes as a ‘match made in heaven’ for the Filipino great.
“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 guys 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.”
Pacquiao re-entered the WBC’s welterweight rankings at number five this week ahead of his showdown with Barrios in two months, although some fans have expressed their disbelief at this.
The 46-year-old has not won a professional fight in six years, but remains set on proving the doubters wrong and pulling off a sensational victory against ‘El Azteca’.
