MANNY Pacquiao announced his ring comeback on Wednesday, confirming his July 19 challenge to reigning champion Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title.
“I’m back,” said the boxing great in a social media post, officially revealing his plan to come out of retirement and get a crack at another world title at age 46.
READ Pacquiao reunites with Roach in bid to reclaim old glory at 46
“On July 19, I return to the ring to face WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.”
Earlier announced to be scheduled at the T-Mobile Arena, the fight had to be transferred at the MGM Grand as Lady Gaga’s Mayhem Ball Tour has already been booked earlier at the T-Mobile venue.
Pacquiao's announcement came just two days after he arrived in Los Angeles and began training at his old haunt at the Wild Card gym, where he's reunited with long-time trainer Freddie Roach.
Pacquiao was also a week removed from his unsuccessful bid to regain a seat in the Philippine Senate.
Boxing’s only eighth-time world division champion last fought in 2021 in a unanimous decision loss to Cuban Yordenis Ugas in a match for the WBA welterweight crown.
He announced his retirement shortly after and compiled a ring record of 62-8-2 with 39 KOs.
In 2022, Pacquiao lost in his bid for the Philippine presidency.
Rumors of his comeback began to make the rounds earlier this year, with WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman eventually announcing a July title fight penciled against the 29-year-old Barrios.
But the camp of the Filipino great refused to confirm the reports until after the elections.
Now everything has finally been made official.
Ironically, his comeback fight comes a month after he is inducted in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
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