Pacquiao Challenges WBC Champ Barrios

Former seven-division world champion Manny ‘Pac Man’ Pacquiao, at age 46, just challenged WBC Welterweight champion Mario Barrios to a match.

Not fighting since August of 2021, having lost to WBA Super World Welterweight champion Yordenis ’54 Milagros’ Ugas, ‘Pac Man’ wants to be back in the ring.

‘Pac Man,’ one of the most highly liked and followed former champions from the Philippines, is not ready to call it quits. It would probably be a non-title bout, but he is still waiting to hear from Barrios’ people.

In December of 1998 ‘Pac Man’ won his first world title, knocking out WBC World Flyweight champion Thailand’s Chatchai Sasakul, 32-1-1, in the eighth round, while behind on all scorecards, improving to 24-1.

After one defense ‘Pac Man’ was stopped by Boonsai Sangsurat, 18-0, in eight rounds in Thailand. After winning the WBC International Super Bantam title, making five defenses, he stopped IBF Super Bantam champ Lehlo Ledwaba, 33-1-1, in June of 2001.

Moving up to featherweight, he stopped former champ Marco Antonio Barrera, 57-3, earning a title fight with IBF and WBA Feather champ Juan Manuel Marquez, 42-2, ending in a split decision draw in June 2004.

He then lost to Erik Morales, 47-2, for two vacant minor titles. He won the rematch two fights later in a WBC title eliminator. In a third match, he knocked Morales out. Then knocked out Jorge Solis, 34-0-2. Then, he won a decision over Barrera, earning a title fight with WBC World Super Feather champ Marquez, 48-3-1, defeating him.

Then he moved up to stop WBC World Light champ David Diaz, 34-1-1, in June of 2008. Then stopped former champ Oscar De La Hoya, 39-5. Next, he won the IBO Super Light title, knocking out Ricky Hatton, 45-1.

In November 2009, he stopped WBO Welterweight champ Miguel Cotto, 34-1. Two fights later, he won the vacant WBC Super welter title, defeating Antonio Margarito, 38-6, in November 2010. Then defeated WBO World Welter champ ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley, 46-6-4-1.

Next, another bout with Marquez, 53-5-1, winning a majority decision. Then, a disputed split decision was lost to Tim Bradley, Jr., 28-0. Then, it was knocked out by Marquez in December 2012. In a rematch, he defeated Bradley. Then defeated Chris Algeri, 20-0. Then, in June of 2015 lost to Super World welterweight champ Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather, Jr., 47-0. In a third match with Bradley, he won again.

In November of 2016, he defeated WBO Welter champ Jesse Vargas, 27-1. Then, in Australia, he lost a disputed decision to Jeff Horn, 16-0-1. Then stops WBA Welter champ Lucas Martin Matthysse, 39-4.

Then he defeats Adrian ‘The Problem’ Bronner, 33-3-1. In July of 2019, he defeated Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman, 29-0. Two years later, he loses to Ugas. His current record is 62-8-2, with 39 stoppages.

Now the 46 year-old ‘Pac Man’ is looking for a seventh division world title.