Manny Pacquiao‘s ageless performance in his comeback fight has been the talk of the town.
Pacquiao, 46, failed to become the second-oldest boxing champion after Bernard Hopkins, when his title fight against WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios on July 19 at at MGM Grand in Las Vegas ended in a majority draw.
Two judges had it 114-114 while the third judge saw the fight 115-113 for Barrios.
But while the former eight-division champion Pacquiao did not successfully annex another world title belt, he won the admiration of his fellow boxers, fans and pundits.
“Damn, but I’d heard all along that the Pacquiao who fought me was finished, dead, nothing,” Yordenis Ugas wrote on X. “How is it possible that four years later he comes against a kid 16 years younger and puts up another good fight?
“It was a very close fight. But Pac-Man is incredible. Without a doubt, one of the best fighters in history.”
Ugas was the last boxer Pacquiao faced before he retired. The Cuban boxer defeated Pacquiao via unanimous decision in 2021 but lost to Barrios in 2023.
Manny Pacquiao Just Got ‘Robbed’
Veteran boxing writer Dan Rafael, who has been covering Pacquiao since the early 2000s, could not believe the result.
“That’s just absolutely awful. Beyond awful. Complete fuckeration,” Rafael wrote on X.
Combat sports editor Alan Dawson said Pacquiao was robbed.
“Really feels like Manny Pacquiao just got robbed of a legendary win befitting of a legendary career,” Dawson wrote on X.
Two-time welterweight champion Shawn Porter, who sparred with Pacquiao before, slammed the judges’ decision.
“Yea I knew the BS was comin. I’m sick!!” Porter wrote on X.
WBC featherweight champion Stephen Fulton made it clear who won in his book.
“Pac-Man won,” Fulton wrote on X.
According to Compubox stats, Pacquiao landed more power punches against the passive Barrios 81-75, but the Mexican-American champion worked his way back into the fight with his jabs.
Barrios more than doubled Pacquiao’s jabs, 45-20, and outpunched the older yet more energetic foe overall, 120-101.
Former IBO lightweight champion George Kambosos, Jr. said Pacquiao should have won the fight.
“I thought he won it!!!! Either way at 46, you’re an absolute legend. An inspiration. And an amazing human being,” Kambosos wrote on X.
WBC lightweight title holder Shakur Stevenson was also appalled.
“Decision was crazy,” Stevenson wrote on X. He earlier wrote, ” Pac Man [is] dominating to me.”
Respect to OG Pac-Man
Former WBO junior lightweight champion Jamel Herring also praised Pacquiao’s performance.
“Respect to the legend though. 4 years out [of] the ring, comes back competing at a championship level,” Herring wrote on X.
Undisputed female heavyweight boxing champion Claressa Shields was in awe of Pacquiao’s performance.
“Mannnn 😂😂😂 OG PAC-MAN in here trying to Whoop Mario’s Barrios ass 😂😂!” she wrote on X.
Barrios admitted after the fight that Pacquiao still “got good legs” despite his advanced age.
“He’s still strong as hell and his timing is real,” Barrios said during the post-fight interview with “He’s still a very awkward fighter to try to figure out. I didn’t think the fight was getting away from me, but I knew I had to step it up to solidify a win. The plan was to press him and try to make him feel old. But he’s still got good legs.
“I’ll do the rematch,” Barrios added. “Absolutely. This was huge for boxing. I’d love to do it again.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Pacquiao Denied of History — Boxing World Cries Injustice appeared first on Heavy Sports.