While the boxing spotlight falls on the heavyweight division in London, and the epic Usyk vs Dubois unification bout this weekend, over in Vegas, the return of a ring legend after a lengthy layoff is making headlines and is sure to draw a huge global audience. It's a dream come true for many fight fans as one of the all-time boxing greats, Manny Pacquiao, laces up the gloves for the first time since 2021 and the 73rd time in total, to take on current WBC welterweight champ, Mario Barrios, who is 16 years his junior. At 46 years old, ‘Pac Man’ continues to shine like a beacon of hope for all those of a more mature age.
Manny Pacquiao will enter the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, aiming to surpass his own record. Back in July 2019, at the age of 40, he claimed a split decision win over Keith Thurman in their WBA super welterweight title bout at the MGM Grand, becoming the oldest welterweight champion in history. Pacquiao would subsequently lose that title following his defeat to Yordenis Ugas two years later, and that was the last time we saw the Filipino great in action.
Pacquiao also holds the record of being the only eight-division title holder in boxing history and amazingly has won 12 world belts across all those various weight categories. During his remarkable career, he’s fought many of the planet’s most potent pugilists, including the likes of Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, Erik Morales, Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley and Floyd Mayweather Jr. In his prime, Pacquiao was an aggressive, all-action fighter who was incredibly quick on his feet and with his hands. He’s now battling against Father Time though, which could prove to be his toughest opponent yet.
‘El Azteca’, Mario Barrios, stands in Pacquiao’s way. The San Antonio native was elevated to WBC welterweight champion last summer when Terrence Crawford left the division. He retained the crown during a rather uninspiring performance in November against Abel Ramos, which the judges deemed a draw. It will be the biggest scalp claimed by Barrios if he can get the job done against Pacquiao and will help erase the bad memories of his high-profile defeats to Gervonta Davis in 2021 (which brought his 26-fight unbeaten streak to an end) and to Keith Thurman in 2022.
AFPIn addition to the return of Pacquiao, the fascinating rematch between Sebastian Fundora and Tim Tszyu is also due to take place in Vegas. Fundora caused a shock to win both the WBC & WBO world super welterweight belts when the pair met in March 2024. Tszyu will be keen to avenge the loss, the first of his pro career, after suffering a huge cut following a clash of heads in the original bout, which adversely affected him during the remainder of the fight.
Let GOAL assist you with all the vital pre-fight info you require for Pacquiao vs Barrios, including the tale of the tape, info on when and where the event is taking place and how you can watch the boxing bonanza live.
When will Manny Pacquiao vs Mario Barrios take place?
| Date | Saturday, July 19 |
| Location | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, United States |
| Time | 8 pm ET / 1 am BST (Sunday) |
| Main event ring walks (approx) | 11 pm ET / 4 am BST (Sunday) |
The MGM Grand Garden Arena is a 17,000-seat multi-purpose arena within the MGM Grand resort, located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The venue opened on December 31, 1993, with a concert by Barbra Streisand. The MGM Grand Garden Arena, the Thomas & Mack Center and the Mandalay Bay Events Center were the main sports arenas in the Las Vegas Valley until 2016, when the MGM co-owned T-Mobile Arena opened.
The MGM Grand Garden Arena has an illustrious boxing history, having staged numerous superfights over the years such as Evander Holyfield vs. Mike Tyson I and II, Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr., Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Canelo Álvarez, Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury II and Canelo Álvarez vs. Caleb Plant. The Pacquiao vs Barrios card will be the first boxing event staged at the venue since Gervonta Davis KO'ed Frank Martin in June 2024.
While Mario Barrios has only fought at the MGM Grand Garden Arena once before, when beating Justin Lopez in March 2015, it's like a home away from home for Manny Pacquiao. This will be the 16th time the Filipino has entered the ring at the Vegas venue, where he has an impressive 10-4-1 record. Pacquiao made his maiden appearance on United States soil at the Garden Arena back in 2001, when he beat Lehlohonolo Ledwaba to claim the IBF super bantamweight title. He also recorded famous wins over Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Shane Mosley and Keith Thurman there. However, he would also suffer high-profile losses against Floyd Mayweather Jr., Juan Manuel Marquez and Erik Morales at the venue too.
How to watch Manny Pacquiao vs Mario Barrios
GettyManny Pacquiao vs. Mario Barrios and the three other main card bouts will be streamed live on Prime PPV globally from 8 p.m. ET. In the US, it can be purchased for $79.99. A three-fight preliminary slate kicks off at 5:30 p.m. ET, available for free to Prime members. UK viewers can buy and watch the card live for £14.99.
Watch Manny Pacquiao vs Mario Barrios from anywhere with a VPN
If the Manny Pacquiao vs Mario Barrios card isn't available to watch live in your area or if you're travelling, you can use a VPN to tune into the action from wherever you are. A VPN creates a secure connection to bypass geographical restrictions and access your favourite streaming services from anywhere. We recommend NordVPN if you're unsure which VPN to choose, but you can also check out our in-depth VPN guide to determine which one is best for you.
Manny Pacquiao vs Mario Barrios Fight Card
| Weight class | Fight |
|---|---|
| Super welterweight (WBC title) | Sebastian Fundora vs Tim Tszyu |
| Welterweight (WBC title) | Mario Barrios vs Manny Pacquiao |
| Super lightweight | Isaac Cruz vs Angel Fierro |
| Featherweight | Brandon Figueroa vs Joet Gonzalez |
Manny Pacquiao professional boxing stats
- Age: 46
- Height: 5'6"
- Reach: 67"
- Total fights: 72
- Record: 62-8-2
- % wins by KO/TKO: 56
Mario Barrios professional boxing stats
- Age: 30
- Height: 6'0"
- Reach: 74"
- Total fights: 32
- Record: 29-2-1
- % wins by KO/TKO: 58