A spirited 12 rounds at the MGM Grand ended in a majority draw, but neither Manny Pacquiao nor Mario Barrios is satisfied with unfinished business. Moments after the scorecards were read, both fighters voiced the same message: let’s do it again. For the 46-year-old Filipino icon, victory would have added yet another line to an already crowded legacy. Instead, he settled for praise and a promise to return. “I thought I won,” Pacquiao said. “What I need is three full months of training next time - God willing, the fans will see it.”
Pacquiao blamed a shortened camp, squeezed by election duties back home, for the razor-thin margin. Even so, his energy belied his age, a feat he credited to “hard work, discipline, and keeping my body in shape.” After thirty years as a pro, the Hall-of-Famer insists he still fights to inspire Filipinos everywhere and isn’t ready to close the book just yet.
Watch Pacquiao vs. Barrios highlights: Watch
Barrios, who keeps his WBC welterweight title, sounded equally enthusiastic. Sharing a ring with a living legend was “crazy,” he said, citing Pacquiao’s tireless pace and tricky rhythm: “He’s still strong as hell.” A rematch offers Barrios both validation and a lucrative second payday. “What me and him were able to bring here today - I would love to do it again,” he told reporters.
Promoters now have an easy sell: a first bout that thrilled and a pair of headliners who want another crack. If Pacquiao secures the longer camp he craves and Barrios welcomes the challenge, Vegas - or any city - could soon see these two back under the lights, this time aiming to settle the score decisively.
Image Credit: Lapresse