SportsOrbit

Manny Pacquiao is up for re-election to the Philippine Senate on May 11, and he will be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in June. He is also looking forward to defending his WBC welterweight belt against Mario Barrios Jr. in July.

“It’s a possibility,” Pacquiao’s adviser Sean Gibbons told BoxingScene Friday. “Manny is today’s George Foreman, Archie Moore, and Bernard Hopkins.

“He takes care of himself, lives a clean life, and is willing to do this. If you’ve been out of the ring for three years, you’ll be eligible for the Hall of Fame. It does not imply you are unable to fight again.

Following reports of the bout (originally reported by Brunch Boxing), BoxingScene has learnt that the target date is July 19, bringing eight-division champion Pacquiao 62-8-2 (39 KOs) back to the ring at age 46.

He last competed in the summer of 2021, losing a welterweight title bout by decision to Cuba’s Yordenis Ugas.

While Pacquiao is currently focused on returning to the Senate alongside 11 other compatriots, he has shown an interest in fighting for the world title again.

He had earlier considered facing Barrios 29-2-1 (18 KOs) of San Antonio, but it did not work out.

Barrios, 29, last fought in November, barely maintaining his title in a draw with Abel Ramos on the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson undercard.

According to Gibbons, Pacquiao intends to declare his fighting plans as soon as the election results are announced.

A long-time matchmaker stated, “If he [Pacquiao] is coming back to fight for a title, this is the guy you want to do it against.”