Pacquiao’s Power: The Secret to His Boxing Success
Manny Pacquiao‘s return ignites the boxing world! Discover how the legendary fighter, at age 46, is challenging Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title. This welterweight boxing match in Las Vegas on July 19th marks Pacquiao’s comeback after a nearly four-year hiatus, as he aims to make history as the oldest champion. While his past fights displayed a slight decline in athleticism, pacquiao is reunited with trainer Freddie Roach for this comeback. News Directory 3 explores if the key to his success lies in rediscovering his speed and agility to overcome Barrios’s physical advantages. Will Pacquiao’s power and quick combinations be enough? Discover what’s next for the boxing icon.
manny Pacquiao Announces Comeback Fight Against Mario Barrios
Updated May 21, 2025
Manny Pacquiao, the boxing legend, is ending his nearly four-year retirement to challenge Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title. the welterweight boxing match is set for July 19 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Pacquiao announced his return with a post on social media, declaring, “I’m back. Let’s make history!”
Pacquiao (62-8-2, 39 KOs) last fought in August 2021, losing to Yordenis Ugas by unanimous decision. At 46, Pacquiao seeks to surpass his own record as the oldest welterweight champion. Only George Foreman and Bernard Hopkins have won world title fights at 46 or older.
While Pacquiao’s motivation remains unstated, the Pacquiao comeback centers on breaking records. Foreman relied on power, and Hopkins on technique, but Pacquiao has historically depended on athleticism, which appeared to wane in his last fight.
Statistics show a decline in pacquiao’s output. CompuBox data indicates he threw and landed fewer punches per round in his six fights after turning 40, compared to his previous 14.
Barrios, listed at 6 feet, will be the tallest opponent Pacquiao has faced.The 16-year age difference also presents a significant challenge. Barrios (29-2-1, 18 KOs) is a formidable opponent, but Pacquiao’s biggest hurdle may be time itself.
Pacquiao has reunited with trainer Freddie Roach to prepare. Boxing after a long layoff in your 40s is difficult, especially for a fighter reliant on athleticism.
To win, Pacquiao must rediscover his speed and explosiveness. His success has always depended on quick combinations and agility. Slower reactions made him vulnerable in past fights, even against less-skilled opponents. While he showed flashes of his old form against Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman, that was years ago.
Against Ugas, Pacquiao displayed less explosiveness and struggled with Ugas’ jab. Pacquiao needs to regain his old form to overcome Barrios’ physical advantages. He must hope his time off has rejuvenated him.
Barrios is beatable and represents a reasonable path for Pacquiao to reclaim a welterweight title. Barrios tends to fight inside, negating his height advantage. He can be outworked by a faster opponent, as seen in his draw against Abel Ramos and his loss to Gervonta Davis. Though, Pacquiao is unlikely to be faster now than he was against Thurman and Broner in 2019.
What’s next
The boxing world awaits to see if Pacquiao can defy age and reclaim his welterweight title, or if Barrios will prove too much for the aging legend.