The WBC has made a cynical move by placing Manny Pacquiao in the top-5 welterweight rankings, despite the fact that the Filipino boxing legend hasn’t fought since 2021, is winless since 2019, and is 46 years old.
Only the legendary name of Manny Pacquiao could leapfrog divisional rankings, as the former eight-time, multi-divisional champion returns from retirement to face the WBC welterweight champion, Mario Barrios, on July 19 at the MGM Grand.
Pacquiao might have made his debut at the MGM Grand over twenty years ago, but a lot has changed. Today, we’ll dissect this strange matchmaking from the WBC and hopefully find some early betting value on the table.
Boxing Pick:
- Barrios ML (-333) at Bet365 (check our Bet365 Review)
Mario Barrios vs. Manny Pacquiao Betting Odds
Event Information
- Date & Time: Saturday, July 19, 2025 – 11:00 PM EDT
- Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas
- Promotion: TGP Promotions
- Scheduled Bouts: 5
- How to Watch: Amazon Prime
- Co-Main Event Bout: Sebastian Fundora vs. Tim Tszyu
Tale of the Tape
Barrios vs. Pacquiao: Does Pacquiao Stand a Chance?
The drama surrounding Manny Pacquiao’s return from retirement could’ve been mitigated if the WBC had given the Filipino slugger a warm-up fight to prove he’s capable of competing with the welterweight division’s best. However, as you probably know by now, they neglected every other deserving boxer and placed him straight into a No. 5 ranking despite his four-year absence.
What’s more concerning about Pacquiao’s absence from the professional landscape is the glaring hole in his pro record, showing that he hasn’t won a fight since 2019. Better still, said bout, a split decision win over Keith Thurman was a razor close decision, and ultimately, one of the performances where critics began to question ‘Pac Man’ and his ability to continue fighting at the highest level.
Pacquiao held onto his reputation for two years before returning to fight Yordenis Ugas in 2021. Faith was still arguable then, and he entered as a -350 favorite. Unfortunately, we witnessed the legend put on one of the weakest performances of his career, and this would be the contest that forced him to call it a day.
Smoke and Mirrors?
Life after professional boxing naturally brought forth many opportunities to compete in exhibition bouts. But even then, the forty-something legend couldn’t hold onto the glory days. First, he overcame an MMA influencer, DK Yoo, in 2022, but in 2024, a K1 kickboxer, Rukiya Anpo, competing in his first-ever boxing bout, made the Filipino look like his age.
The sad truth is, a non-boxer made the Pac-Man look slow, lethargic, and out of his depth, proving that you don’t have to be an elite boxer to defeat him. At 46, Manny isn’t the same man, and despite his skill and legend, age catches up with us all.
Now, Pacquiao is expected to return to fight the WBC welterweight champion, Mario Barrios, and garner success. It’s a car crash waiting to happen, and a fight that I believe has been incorrectly lined by the top-rated sportsbooks.
Barrios vs. Pacquiao Trends
- Barrios has fought five times since Pacquiao’s last pro boxing bout.
- Pacquiao hasn’t won a pro boxing bout since 2019.
- Pacquiao is 16 years older (46) than Barrios.
Betting on Barrios vs. Pacquiao
There’s no denying that Pacquiao is one of the greatest ever to do it, and when it comes to the sweet science, his brain is likely far ahead of many current boxers competing in the welterweight division. However, the brain isn’t lacing up the gloves; his body will, and when the body can no longer compute what the brain is telling it to do, that’s usually when fighters hang it up for good.
Watching Pacquiao fight Anpo was a huge eye-opener and a key insight for his upcoming return, due to the slow timing, lack of reflexes, and punching bag stance we witnessed in that bout. It was almost painful to watch, especially when comparing it to his last professional loss against Ugas, because even that version of Manny would’ve run circles around the version that lost to Anpo last year.
Barrios isn’t the best reigning champion across all divisions, or even at welterweight for that matter. However, he doesn’t need to be. The name of Pacquiao will usher in the biggest fight of his career, and we should expect the best version of the 30-year-old we’ve seen to date, which could spell trouble for the Pac Man from the opening bell.
Betting on Nostalgia?
I remember hammering Jake Paul’s moneyline against Mike Tyson, and honestly, it feels like we have an identical situation here. Better still, oddsmakers are offering -333 on Barrios, which to me, feels about -1000 off the true price.
Pacquiao’s name is doing the heavy work for sportsbook probabilities on this fight. If you believe a 46-year-old Pac Man can defeat any current champion, I’d highly recommend that you stay clear of betting and just keep that prediction for your friendship group chat.
Barrios will be faster, more powerful, and have a significantly greater level of durability. Will he get the finish? Possibly… but with a moneyline price of -333, snatch that incredible value now before it’s gone, as just like Mike Tyson, Pac Man is likely here for the payday and nothing more.
Boxing Pick: Barrios ML (-333) at Bet365
*21+ Seek help with a gambling addiction at 1-800-Gambler
*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.
