Legendary Filipino pugilist Manny Pacquiao is set to make a remarkable comeback to the ring at 46 years of age while simultaneously campaigning for a return to the Philippines senate.
According to ESPN’s Andreas Hale, Pacquiao will face WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios in Las Vegas on July 19, utilizing a World Boxing Council provision that permits retired former champions to request title fights upon returning from retirement.
The announcement has drawn significant criticism from boxing enthusiasts and commentators, many questioning the fairness of allowing Pacquiao to bypass younger, more active competitors, especially considering his less-than-stellar performances in his final two professional bouts. Nevertheless, promoters appear confident that Pacquiao’s illustrious reputation and history of electrifying contests will attract substantial crowds in Las Vegas and generate considerable pay-per-view revenue.
With career earnings of $775 million when adjusted for inflation ($575 million unadjusted), Pacquiao ranks as the 23rd highest-paid athlete of all time according to Sportico, and third among combat sports athletes, trailing only Floyd Mayweather Jr. ($1.52 billion) and Mike Tyson ($965 million).
The pinnacle of Pacquiao’s financial success came in May 2015 during the highly anticipated “Fight of the Century” against Mayweather. This historic event generated over $600 million in a single day—exceeding even Super Bowl revenues—with Pacquiao collecting $125 million despite suffering a defeat while competing with an undisclosed torn rotator cuff.
Even in the twilight of his career, Pacquiao commanded impressive paydays, earning between $17-20 million against Adrien Broner and nearly $20 million in his July 2019 victory over Keith Thurman. His final notable pay-per-view appearance, a surprising loss to Yordenis Ugás in September 2021, underperformed commercially but still netted him $18.75 million.
Pacquiao’s political ambitions have run parallel to his boxing career for over a decade. He served in the Philippines House of Representatives from 2010 to 2016 before winning a senate seat, which he held until 2022. His political career has not been without controversy, however, as he faced criticism for poor attendance while pursuing his sporting and entertainment interests.
According to ESPN, Pacquiao will postpone the public announcement of his boxing return until after the May 12 Philippines election. His previous foray into presidential politics in 2022 ended in disappointment, with Pacquiao finishing a distant third behind winner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
