THOUGHTS | MANNY PACQUIAO IS STILL PACKING

Last weekend, Manny Pacquiao fought Mario Barrios to a draw. I didn’t watch the fight live, mostly because I’ve seen too many comebacks end in disappointment. A lot of legends try to chase their old glory, and I assumed this would be the same. But when I eventually rewatched the match, I was reminded of just how much of an anomaly Pacquiao is in the ring.

Did he deserve the draw? Honestly, I think he did. Not because he’s washed up, but because fights like these are often designed to spotlight boxing’s next big thing. The problem is, the sport hasn’t had many successful "next big things" lately, especially in the heavyweight division, where excitement used to live. Pacquiao, despite being a welterweight, carried a lot of that excitement even as he aged.

Take a look at his past opponents. Jeff Horn was pushed as the future of boxing after beating Pacquiao, but he lost three of his last six fights and retired in 2023. Yordenis Ugas beat Pacquiao but hasn’t won a fight since. Even Timothy Bradley, who had a trilogy with Pacquiao, never became the star people hoped for. He retired not long after their third match.

These fighters weren’t exactly young up-and-comers either. So while Pacquiao may be turning 47 this December, he still holds more star power than most of his supposed successors. That’s his edge over someone like Floyd Mayweather. While Mayweather is obsessed with preserving his perfect record, Pacquiao can live with the losses. He’s still stepping into the ring, still fighting, still giving fans something to talk about.

Of course, you could argue he's just doing it for the paycheck or to pass the torch. He was definitely rusty against Barrios, having fought only twice in the last six years. Outside the ring, he’s also taken a hit—his presidential and senatorial losses made his image more polarizing in the Philippines. But inside the ring, there’s still a spark.

The sport itself has changed. With MMA on the rise and fewer superstars in boxing, the road to the top has shifted. Pacquiao’s conditioning is still elite, but he’ll need to tweak his game. His all-action, never-say-die style might not hold up against younger, fresher fighters. Still, he’s far from a punching bag. If boxing sees him as a gatekeeper or starmaker, then opponents should treat him with the respect he deserves.

I’m not saying I want to see him fight Jake Paul, especially considering the weight difference, but the idea of Pacquiao continuing to fight—even semi-regularly—isn’t a bad one. He might just be boxing’s version of George Foreman, defying age and expectations. If nothing else, he proves that legends can still matter in a sport starving for stars.