Manny Pacquiao’s team is working hard to land a WBA welterweight title fight against Mario Barrios, and they’re feeling pretty confident about it. Pacquiao’s manager, Sean Gibbons, recently went to 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 real competitive boxing, and he’ll still love the Mario Barrios fight, and some people believe Manny really has a chance in that fight, and that was the goal to make.”
Barrios, who currently holds the WBA welterweight belt, has also caught the interest of Conor Benn. Benn was newly reinstated after a suspension following a positive drug test in 2022. Despite that interest, Pacquiao’s team believes Barrios is the best option for a deal. One reason is that Barrios is backed by Premier Boxing Champions and Al Haymon, who has worked with Pacquiao several times in the past. “You’ll look at how Mario Barrios is with PBC, Mr. Al Haymon, who has done Manny Pacquiao’s last three or four fights,” Gibbons explained, “and he’s the only one who’s stepped up. There’s 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 promotions.”
Another factor is the timing. Pacquiao plans to run for re-election to the Philippine Senate, but he still has a few months to spare. According to Gibbons, “Manny came in Vegas (against Lehlo Ledwaba), he can go out in Vegas.” In other words, if they can lock in this fight with Barrios, Las Vegas would be an ideal stage for Pacquiao to have one last big run. Gibbons calls the next three or four months a “perfect time” to train, giving Pacquiao the preparation he needs for a serious challenge.
