Manny Pacquiao’s team is working hard to line up a WBA welterweight title fight against Mario Barrios, and they are feeling pretty confident. Pacquiao’s manager, Sean Gibbons, recently drove to the WBC Convention in Hamburg, Germany, and made it very clear that Pacquiao “wants to challenge Barrios.” At 45, Pacquiao’s window for truly competitive action is closing, so Gibbons and company hope to make this fight happen sooner rather than later. “Manny was alone in Dubai,” Gibbons said boxing scene, “And 2025 is probably his last year of real competitive boxing, and he would still like the Mario Barrios fight, and some believe that Manny really has a shot in that fight, and that’s what he was aiming to do.”
Barrios, who currently holds the WBA welterweight belt, has also attracted the interest of Conor Benn. Benn was reinstated after a suspension after testing positive for banned substances in 2022. Despite that interest, Pacquiao’s team believes Barrios is the best bet for a deal. One reason is that Barrios is backed by Premier Boxing Champions and Al Haymon, who have worked with Pacquiao several times in the past. “You know 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 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 to Vegas (against Lehlo Ledwaba) can come out to Vegas.” In other words, if they can lock in this fight with Barrios, Las Vegas would be an ideal stadium for Pacquiao to have one last major run. Gibbons called the next three to four months a “perfect time” to train, giving Pacquiao the preparation he needs for a serious challenge.
