Manny Pacquaio is set to be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame on Sunday, June 8. At which point he’ll be in position to do something no boxer has ever done.
Reign as a world champion as a Hall of Fame inductee.
Now 46, Pacquaio indicated he’s motivated and fit enough to make history as he prepares to fight Mario Barrios, the 30-year-old WBC world welterweight champion, Friday, July 19, in Las Vegas.
Pacquaio said he’s running up the mountains again, a ritual that has propelled the Filipino boxing star as he has trained for countless fights. And during a news conference Tuesday in Los Angeles, Pacquaio noted his pro boxing career started in 1995 and yet all these years later he still has “the fire, the determination, eagerness to train hard, to work hard. Even now I’m enjoying working out hard, like running the mountain, working out in the afternoon. Amazing.’’
Yet he faces a metaphorical mountain, too.
For starters, he’s 16 years older than Barrios. Also, this will be his first pro fight since 2021, when he lost to Yordenis Ugas by unanimous decision. He has not won a boxing match since 2019.
But Pacquiao made history before.
He is the sport’s only eight-division world champion. And in 2019, he became the oldest welterweight world champion when he defeated Keith Thurman for the WBA world title.
On Tuesday, Pacquaio (62-8-2, 39 KOs) welcomed his age gap with Barrios (29-2-1, 18 KOs) being viewed as helpful experience rather than a liability.
“A big factor for this fight,’’ Pacquaio said. “I’ve been through a lot of hard fights. Hard, hard fights and experience.’’
Facing a legend
The boxers from the top four fights on the Pacquaio-Barrios card all talked at least a little trash with their opponent. With the exception of Pacquaio and Barrios, that is.
Barrios broke into a smile during a faceoff with Pacquaio. At other times he looked in disbelief.
“I’m defending my WBC (title) against the legend,’’ Barrios said at one point. “This is huge. Something I never really pictured unfolding, but it’s here and it’s on one of the biggest cards of the year.’’
Pacquaio wore a smile through much of the press conference. Even when he put on a pair of sunglasses, he projected warmth.
“Yeah, he’s a hard guy to dislike,’’ Barrios said.
But Barrios indicated he understands Pacquaio won’t be quite as gentlemanly during their fight.
“I know if at any point he has me hurt, he’s going to get me out of there without a doubt,’’ Barrios said. “And so I have to go and make sure he’s not successful and have to go in there and just make sure that my hand is raised at the end of the fight. Whether it’s by stoppage or by decision.’’
Benefiting from the rest?
Those who believe in ring rust will view Pacquaio fighting for the first time in almost four years as worrisome. But Pacquaio, who noted he’s been in boxing for 30 years, said it’s a “good thing for me that I rest.”
“I rest four years in my body and now I’m back,’’ he added. “I’m excited for the fans to give a good fight, you know, me so dedicated to my career. Boxing is my passion, the way I train, the way I work hard, punishing myself to the limit and to make sure that I can give a good fight to the fans. So, that’s what (you’re) expecting (of) me on that fight July 19th. It’s going to be a good fight.”
Apparently it won’t be his last fight either, according Pacquaio.
Asked if this bout will be a one-off or if he’s ready to make another run, Pacquaio smiled and said, “Yes, I’m back.’’
Hall of Fame history
Pacquaio is set to become the first Hall of Fame inductee to fight for a world championship.
Mike Tyson, Alexis Arguello, Jeff Fenech and Azumah Nelson each fought in sanctioned bouts after they were inducted into the Hall of Fame but did not fight for a title, according to Jeff Brophy, historian at the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Brophy passed along another piece of history: Sugar Ray Leonard was an announced member of the 1997 Hall of Fame class when he fought Hector Camacho for the International Boxing Council (IBC) middleweight title. Leonard lost to Camacho by fifth-round TKO in March and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in June.