Pacquiao, Barrios battle to majority draw in WBC world title clash

Mario Barrios, left, fights Manny Pacquiao in a welterweight title boxing match Saturday, July 19, 2025, in Las Vegas (US time). | via Associated Press

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao showed flashes of his vintage form but had to settle for a majority draw against WBC world welterweight champion Mario Barrios during their fight on Sunday, July 20 (Manila time), at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

After 12 rounds of fast-paced action, two judges—Tim Cheatham and Steve Weisfeld—scored the fight evenly at 114-114, while Max DeLuca gave a narrow 115-113 edge to Barrios.

With the result, Pacquiao’s record moves to 62 wins, 8 losses, and 3 draws, including 39 knockouts. Barrios, meanwhile, recorded the first draw of his career, now holding a 29-2-1 (18 KOs) slate.

Though the outcome left many fans unsatisfied, the bout delivered in intensity and entertainment. The crowd stayed on its feet throughout, often erupting in chants for the Filipino boxing icon.

“I thought I won the fight,” said Pacquiao during the post-fight interview. “But it was a good fight. I worked hard and disciplined myself. I have to keep my body in shape.”

| John Locher/AP

REMATCH

Pacquiao admitted he tried to go for the finish but credited Barrios for being a tough, durable opponent.

“I wanted to end the fight, but my opponent was tough. It was a hard fight. I moved around, countered, and threw power punches,” he said.

Asked if he wanted a rematch, Pacquiao didn’t hesitate.

“Of course. That’s the only legacy I can leave behind—to give inspiration to the Filipino people,” he said.

Barrios welcomed the idea.

“Absolutely. This is huge for boxing for me and him. I’d love to do it again,” the WBC champion said.

LOW BLOW

At 46, Pacquiao looked far from finished. He opened the fight with speed, angles, and high-volume punches that offset Barrios’ height and reach advantage. Crisp left hands and quick combinations landed early, while Barrios looked to establish his jab.

In Round 2, both fighters settled into a more measured rhythm. Pacquiao connected with a sharp one-two, while Barrios responded with clean jabs and a counter right. A slip—likely due to their opposite stances—briefly paused the action.

Barrios gained confidence in the third, controlling distance with his long jab and one-two combinations. Still, Pacquiao found pockets to land to the body and scored with well-timed flurries. Barrios was warned for a low blow but remained composed.

Pacquiao came forward aggressively in Round 4, landing a left hook and closing the round with a strong flurry that gave him a slight edge on unofficial cards, 29-28.

By the fifth, Barrios was sticking to his jab, but Pacquiao ramped up his output, landing a four-punch combination that backed the champion up. The sixth saw Pacquiao connecting with head and body shots, even rocking Barrios with a left hand before a wild exchange ended the round.

POWER SHOTS

In the seventh, Pacquiao came out swinging. Though Barrios responded with stiff jabs and straight rights that snapped Pacquiao’s head back, the Filipino legend countered effectively and stayed mobile. He found more angles in the eighth, landing clean shots and again finishing with a flurry. The unofficial scorecard had him ahead, 67-66.

Trainer Buboy Fernandez urged Pacquiao to press harder in Round 9, and he did, blitzing Barrios with power shots and forcing him backward. Despite his age, Pacquiao’s footwork and hand speed remained sharp.

Barrios fought back in the 10th, going to the body and landing several clean punches. Pacquiao countered and closed the round strong, possibly edging it once more. The 11th featured heavy exchanges, with Barrios landing a clean combination and Pacquiao answering with his own barrage. Another low blow complaint from Pacquiao interrupted the round briefly.

Both fighters emptied the tank in the 12th. Pacquiao landed a left straight early, while Barrios fired back with a three-punch combination. The final 30 seconds saw a furious exchange, closing out a back-and-forth battle that lived up to its billing, even if the final result left some questions unanswered.

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