Will Pacquiao fight Barrios? – Boxing News 24

Manny Pacquiao’s team is working hard to prepare for a WBA welterweight title fight against Mario Barrios, and they feel pretty confident about it. Pacquiao’s manager, Sean Gibbons, recently attended the WBC Convention in Hamburg, Germany, and made it very clear that Pacquiao “wants to challenge Barrios.” At 45 years old, Pacquiao’s window for truly competitive action is closing, so Gibbons and company hope to get this fight done sooner rather than later. “Manny was just in Dubai,” Gibbons said. boxing scene, “And 2025 is probably his last year of really competitive boxing, and he would still love the Mario Barrios fight, and some people believe Manny really has a chance in that fight, and that’s been the goal.”

Barrios, who currently holds the WBA welterweight belt, has also caught the interest of Conor Benn. Benn is recently reinstated from a suspension following a positive test for banned substances in 2022. Despite that interest, Pacquiao’s team believes Barrios is the best bet to reach a deal. One reason is that Barrios has the backing of Premier Boxing Champions and Al Haymon, who have worked with Pacquiao several times in the past. “You would see Mario Barrios being with PBC, Mr. Al Haymon, who has done the last three or four Manny Pacquiao fights,” Gibbons explained, “and he is the only one who has stepped up. There has been a lot of talk about doing things, but Al Haymon is the only one who has put his money where his mouth is and what he says and promotes.

Another factor is timing. Pacquiao plans to run for re-election to the Philippine Senate, but he still has a few months off. According to Gibbons, “Manny came in in Las Vegas (against Lehlo Ledwaba) and he can come out in Las Vegas.” In other words, if they can close this fight with Barrios, Las Vegas would be an ideal setting for Pacquiao to have one last major run. Gibbons called the next three or four months a “perfect time” to train, giving Pacquiao the preparation he needs for a serious challenge.