Manny Pacquiao world title fight slammed in rant as health concerns rise: ‘Disgrace’

Manny Pacquiao’s comeback fight against Mario Barrios simply shouldn’t be happening according to Spencer Oliver. Pacquiao is now 46-years-old and has toyed with a full professional comeback since losing to Yordenis Ugas in 2021. Pacquiao will return yet again at the age of 46 He has now received his shot and incredibly will fight for a world title against Mario Barrios on July 19. The fight has attracted huge opposition, given Pacquiao is not ranked in the top ten at welterweight. And talkSPORT boxing’s former world champion pundit Oliver is strongly against the bout, and can’t believe it is taking place. “Pacquiao looked a shell of his former self in his last fight against Ugas,” he said. “He has had a long career and turned pro in 1995, he’s a great but he’s coming back now. “But the biggest disgrace of this is that the WBC are sanctioning the fight for a world title, which is just wrong. “I think it’s a young man’s sport, the inactivity and way her performed in his last fight. I don’t like it. “Let’s just leave it there. But the governing bodies should only sanction fights if they are in the top fifteen. “He’s been retired for four years so how does that warrant him jumping the queue and fighting Barrios? “It’s wrong in so many ways. The system is broken with the WBC allowing that to happen.” Ryan Hafey/PBC Pacquiao has history which makes him one of the greatest fighters of all-time. It was initially believed he would then leave the sport alone to focus on his political campaign in native Phillipines. But his itch from the sweet science was not being scratched, and he is now keen to return. Concerns have already been expressed for ‘Pac Man’ who has returned in exhibitions. He looked extremely poor in his exhibition with Rukiya Anpo, and was fortunate there were no scorecards as he looked beaten. And promoter Ben Shalom insisted at the time he should be prevented from making a return. MP PromotionsPacquiao struggled in his exhibition with Anpo last year[/caption] “I think it’s so hard for fighters, you have seen it in the Olympics with athletes coming back,” he told talkSPORT.com. “We’ve seen so many fighters come back, you always think back to Muhammad Ali and the damage that those last fights had on his life. “It is very hard as a promoter to say it, but equally if you have enough money in the bank you have to protect your health. “I think it showed in that exhibition that it really should be the end, but ultimately stranger things have happened. “As I say fighters are addicted to that buzz and it is very hard to replace it in those final years.”

May 12, 2025 - 15:37

Manny Pacquiao’s comeback fight against Mario Barrios simply shouldn’t be happening according to Spencer Oliver.

Pacquiao is now 46-years-old and has toyed with a full professional comeback since losing to Yordenis Ugas in 2021.

He has now received his shot and incredibly will fight for a world title against Mario Barrios on July 19.

The fight has attracted huge opposition, given Pacquiao is not ranked in the top ten at welterweight.

And talkSPORT boxing’s former world champion pundit Oliver is strongly against the bout, and can’t believe it is taking place.

“Pacquiao looked a shell of his former self in his last fight against Ugas,” he said.

“He has had a long career and turned pro in 1995, he’s a great but he’s coming back now.

“But the biggest disgrace of this is that the WBC are sanctioning the fight for a world title, which is just wrong.

“I think it’s a young man’s sport, the inactivity and way her performed in his last fight. I don’t like it.

“Let’s just leave it there. But the governing bodies should only sanction fights if they are in the top fifteen.

“He’s been retired for four years so how does that warrant him jumping the queue and fighting Barrios?

“It’s wrong in so many ways. The system is broken with the WBC allowing that to happen.”

Pacquiao has history which makes him one of the greatest fighters of all-time.

It was initially believed he would then leave the sport alone to focus on his political campaign in native Phillipines.

But his itch from the sweet science was not being scratched, and he is now keen to return.

Concerns have already been expressed for ‘Pac Man’ who has returned in exhibitions.

He looked extremely poor in his exhibition with Rukiya Anpo, and was fortunate there were no scorecards as he looked beaten.

And promoter Ben Shalom insisted at the time he should be prevented from making a return.

Pacquiao struggled in his exhibition with Anpo last year[/caption]

“I think it’s so hard for fighters, you have seen it in the Olympics with athletes coming back,” he told talkSPORT.com.

“We’ve seen so many fighters come back, you always think back to Muhammad Ali and the damage that those last fights had on his life.

“It is very hard as a promoter to say it, but equally if you have enough money in the bank you have to protect your health.

“I think it showed in that exhibition that it really should be the end, but ultimately stranger things have happened.

“As I say fighters are addicted to that buzz and it is very hard to replace it in those final years.”