Yet another controversy has rocked the boxing world, as Manny Pacquiao turned back the clock with a legendary performance against Mario Barrios, sixteen years his junior. In his long-awaited comeback at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, the Filipino icon quickly built an early lead, defying the doubts that had surrounded his return after nearly four years of retirement. Despite the layoff, ‘Pacman’ was doing what many believed was no longer possible.
Pacquiao’s trademark speed, fluid combinations, and masterful footwork left the 30-year-old Barrios visibly puzzled, as 13,000 fans watched in awe. While Barrios did manage to bank a few rounds and occasionally used his jab to control the pace, his efforts came too late and too infrequently to truly shift the momentum. After twelve hard-fought rounds, the judges’ scorecards told a story that few in the arena—or watching at home—agreed with.
Two judges scored the bout a 114-114 draw, while the third gave it to Barrios with a narrow 115-113 margin. The result sparked immediate backlash. Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s long-time trainer and a seven-time BWAA Trainer of the Year, has already called for a rematch. “We had a great fight. Manny fought very well, and he even had a knockdown in there somewhere that they didn’t count,” Roach said during the post-fight interview.
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“I thought he won the fight eight to four, but that’s the way things go, and we would like a rematch right away for sure,” Roach added in his statement. This mirrored Pacquiao’s own views, who claimed, “I thought I won the fight,” after the results were announced, adding that he believes that he will continue fighting and pursue a rematch with Barrios. Notably, if Pacquiao had won the fight, he would have become the second-oldest fighter in boxing history to capture a major world title.
However, with the fight being declared a draw, Barrios has retained the WBC welterweight title and claims he would “love to do it again.” Whether the rematch happens or not, people aren’t exactly happy about how the fight was scored.
Shawn Porter blames ‘incompetent judges’ after Manny Pacquiao vs. Mario Barrios
Heading into the fight, most experts had written off the 46-year-old legend, pointing to the obvious disadvantages—his age, a nearly four-year hiatus, and a loss in his last bout. But when ‘Pacman’ defied all expectations, the narrative shifted dramatically. Among those unimpressed by the judges’ decision was former world champion Shawn Porter, who didn’t hold back in his criticism, taking aim at what he saw as a blatant injustice in the scoring.
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“When you have – I’m just going to say it – incompetent judges,” Porter said on the main event coverage. “That don’t truly understand everything that they see, everything that’s transpiring in the ring, you’re taking a chance on working through another camp, doing everything you can, putting your heart on the line, your life on the line, and then this is the kind of result you get.”
From the looks of things, most people believe Manny Pacquiao was robbed of a deserved win on Saturday night. While Roach has made his intentions clear about a rematch, whether Pacquiao gets it is a different story. What did you think about the fight? Do you think ‘Pacman’ was robbed?
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