WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman addressed the criticism surrounding Manny Pacquiao`s planned return to the ring against Mario Barrios, explaining his rationale for approving the welterweight bout despite the backlash.
Reports indicate Pacquiao is set to challenge Barrios for his WBC world title on July 19th, headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event broadcast on Amazon Prime.
The fight card is also expected to feature a highly anticipated rematch for the WBC super-welterweight title between champion Sebastian Fundora and Tim Tszyu, a pairing seen by many as a more conventional and fitting matchup.
However, it is the comeback of the legendary eight-division champion Pacquiao that has captured the most attention and sparked considerable debate within the boxing community.
The 46-year-old hasn`t competed professionally since his 2021 unanimous decision loss to Yordenis Ugas. Prior to that, he secured decision victories against Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman.
Since his last professional bout, Pacquiao has primarily focused on his political career, reportedly spending significant funds during his unsuccessful bid for a Filipino senatorial seat.
Last year, `Pac Man` participated in an exhibition match against Japanese kickboxer Rukiya Anpo, where he appeared to show signs of his age, a factor often cited in concerns about his professional return.
Despite these recent activities and the age concerns, Sulaiman has officially decided to sanction Pacquiao`s comeback fight against Mario Barrios.
When this controversial decision was challenged publicly by British trainer Dave Coldwell, the WBC president took to social media platform X to offer his response.
Writing on X, Sulaiman referenced a historical parallel: “Remember Sugar Ray Leonard? My father Jose Sulaiman and the WBC were criticized for making his fight vs Marvin Hagler. Pacquiao has been licensed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission and has passed all medicals, and as a legendary WBC champion, he has been approved to fight by our organisation. Let’s talk on July 20.”
Critics note that while Sugar Ray Leonard also returned from a layoff before facing Marvin Hagler, he was in his early 30s at the time – significantly younger than the 46-year-old Pacquiao is now.
Furthermore, while Leonard moved up two weight classes for his fight against Hagler, the primary safety concerns surrounding Pacquiao`s current comeback center squarely on his advanced age for the sport at this elite level.
