AS the long-anticipated bout draws closer, questions about Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao’s comeback continue to mount, yet the Filipino boxing icon remains unfazed and confident.

The former eight-division titleholder brushed off doubts about his return from retirement, asserting that he still possesses the skills and conditioning to perform at an elite level regardless of his age.

Pacquiao is set to make his much-anticipated return to the ring on July 19, where he will take on reigning champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios for the WBC welterweight title at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Don’t Doubt the Legend

Aware that this marks his first professional bout since falling to Cuba’s Yordenis Ugas in 2021—after which he launched an unsuccessful bid for the Philippine presidency—Pacquiao sensed the skepticism.

“People say I’m too old, that I’ve done it all. But I still have the fire,” Pacquiao said in a statement. “I’m not just fighting for myself — I’m fighting for my country, and to show the world that we Filipinos never give up.”

Considering the age gap between Pacquiao and Barrios, fans are likely to doubt whether this bout can truly deliver the intense and high-caliber action it promises to bring.

With that in mind, the 46-year-old used Sunday’s (Philippine Time) press conference—his first face-to-face meeting with Barrios in Las Vegas—as a chance to vow an action-filled fight for the fans.

“I know Barrios’ capacity, he can really entertain the fans, and we can entertain the fans on July 19th,” Pacquiao confidently claimed.

Nothing Changed

Meanwhile, the former Philippine Senator shared that although he may have taken a four-year break from professional boxing, he still regularly stays active by playing basketball and badminton.

“My body is like, I feel young. I feel like, young. You can see. Like I see, I always bring surprises to the fans in every fight. So, this fight, I’m sure that me and Barrios, we can give a good fight to the fans,” Pacquiao said.

In addition to the age difference, the 30-year-old Barrios measures 6 feet in height, giving him a clear height advantage over the 5-foot-5 Pacquiao.

He holds a 29-2 career record, with 18 of those wins by knockout. Pacquiao, meanwhile, has a 62-8-2 record. Though he hasn’t fought professionally since 2021, he’s taken part in several exhibition bouts.