Manny Pacquiao will attempt to break his own record as the sport’s oldest welterweight world champion.
The Filipino sensation set the bar back in 2019 when he beat Keith Thurman at the age of 40 for the WBA World Title at 147 pounds. Now, six years on, he is set to face WBC Champion Mario Barrios on July 19, pending an official announcement.
Though the respect is great for the multi-weight world champion, response to the fight plans has been largely negative, both coming from the perspective of health concerns as well as the rankings system and what it means for younger, active contenders who have paid fees and attempted to fight their way into title contention.
Pacqiaou, who turns 47 in December this year, has not competed since a bruising loss to Yordenis Ugás in 2021. He will pause his political career in his home country of the Philippines to face Barrios, who was elevated from interim to full world champion when Terence Crawford vacated the belt.
The 29-year-old – who started his career boxing at 122 pounds – kept hold of his belt last November with a draw against Abel Ramos.
Responding to British trainer Dave Coldwell on X, who said that the match-up was ‘disgraceful,’ WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman staunchly defended his sanctioning body’s decision to approve Pacquiao’s title challenge.
“Remember Sugar Ray Leonard? My father Jose Sulaiman and the WBC were criticised for making his fight vs Hagler. Manny Pacquiao has been licensed by Nevada and passed all medicals and, as legendary WBC champion, has been approved to fight by our organization. Let’s talk July 20.”
Remember @SugarRayLeonard ? My father Jose Sulaiman and the WBC were criticized for making his fight vs Hagler @MannyPacquiao has been licensed by Nevada and passed all medicals and as legendary WBC champion has been approved to fight by our organization
Let’s talk July 20 https://t.co/mDkdw7kQmk— Mauricio Sulaiman (@wbcmoro) May 10, 2025
Though Pacquiao would break the division’s record with a win, he is still three years shy of the oldest world champion in history across all weight classes, a record still held by Bernard Hopkins.
