At 46 years old, Manny Pacquiao returned to the spotlight Saturday night, stepping into the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena to take on WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios. After 12 competitive rounds, the bout ended in a majority draw—an outcome that left fans buzzing and Pacquiao just short of making more history.
Two judges saw the fight even at 114-114, while the third scored it narrowly for Barrios at 115-113. Pacquiao, who came in as a +210 underdog according to ESPN BET, was attempting to become the oldest fighter ever to claim a welterweight world title—breaking his own record from 2019 when he beat Keith Thurman at age 40.
The boxing legend hadn’t fought since his 2021 loss to Yordenis Ugas, where he was outlanded and outboxed over 12 rounds. That performance had many wondering if the Pac-Man era had come to an end. But nearly four years later, Pacquiao showed flashes of his former speed and intensity, holding his own against a much younger opponent.
Barrios, 30, came into the fight with momentum after earning the interim WBC title by defeating Ugas in 2023. He was later elevated to full champion status when Terence Crawford vacated the belt to move up in weight. In his first defense, he battled to a split draw against Abel Ramos on the undercard of Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson last November.
Despite the draw, Pacquiao’s return showed he still has something left in the tank—even if the future remains uncertain. Whether this was his final bout or the start of one last run, the performance was a reminder of why he’s one of boxing’s most celebrated figures.
Sebastian Fundora successfully defended his WBC junior middleweight title on Saturday night, earning a TKO victory over Tim Tszyu after the Australian was unable to continue following Round 7. The rematch brought closure to one of 2024’s most talked-about fights—and this time, there was no controversy.
In their first meeting, Fundora stepped in on short notice after Keith Thurman withdrew from the scheduled bout with Tszyu. Despite the sudden change, Fundora walked away with a split-decision win in a brutal, bloody affair. That fight was marred by an accidental elbow that opened a deep cut on Tszyu’s head, making the outcome a point of debate among fans and analysts. Tszyu vowed revenge—but Fundora came in with his own mission: to prove his win wasn’t a fluke.
He wasted no time doing just that. In the opening round, Fundora—towering at 6-foot-5—established his range and caught Tszyu clean with a sharp counter left hand, scoring a knockdown that immediately shifted the fight in his favor. From there, the defending champ dictated the tempo, repeatedly tagging Tszyu with his left hand and keeping him off balance.
To his credit, Tszyu showed grit and began working his way back into the fight by landing well-timed overhand rights, especially in the middle rounds. The seventh was by far the most action-packed, as both fighters traded big shots in the pocket. For a moment, it seemed Tszyu might be turning the tide.
But just as momentum seemed to shift, Fundora responded with a violent surge—pinning Tszyu in the corner late in Round 7 and unloading a series of combinations, including three brutal uppercuts that left Tszyu visibly shaken. When the bell rang, Tszyu’s corner signaled he couldn’t continue.
With the victory, Fundora improved to 23-1-1 (15 KOs), while Tszyu fell to 25-3 (18 KOs). More importantly, Fundora left no doubt this time—cementing his status as the top man at 154 pounds.
Pacquiao vs. Barrios fight card, results
- Mario Barrios (c) vs. Manny Pacquiao ends in majority draw (115-113 Barrios, 114-114, 114-114)
- Sebastian Fundora (c) def. Tim Tszyu via seventh-round TKO (corner stoppage)
- Isaac Cruz def. Omar Salcido via unanimous decision (99-89, 99-89, 100-88)
- Brandon Figueroa def. Joet Gonzalez via unanimous decision (115-113, 116-112, 116-112)
- David Picasso def. Kyonosuke Kameda via majority decision (98-92, 97-93, 95-95)
- Mark Magsayo def. Jorge Mata via unanimous decision (100-90, 100-90, 98-92)
- Gary Allen Russell Jr. def. Hugo Castaneda via 10th-round TKO
