Manny Pacquiao Eyeing Mario Barrios’ Belt, ‘Wants to Win Again’

There’s matters to work out – mainly money – but Manny Pacquiao’s sincerity to win a welterweight title for a record sixth time and underline his standing as the best 147-pounder in history is as earnest as it is with every other endeavor he has taken on.

“That’s why he’s boxing’s only eight-time champion,” Pacquiao advisor Sean Gibbons told BoxingScene on Wednesday while updating negotiations to make a Pacquiao welterweight title bout against newly anointed WBC champion Mario Barrios.

“Manny loves the competition. He loves doing things people don’t believe he can do.”

It’s why the 45-year-old Pacquiao (62-8-2, 39 KOs) is already two weeks into a pre-training-camp conditioning period in the Philippines and why he’s meeting, starting today, with Gibbons to press for the Barrios fight’s creation.

The target is Las Vegas in October or November. The likely broadcaster – barring unexpected Saudi Arabia involvement – is Premier Boxing Champions on Amazon Prime Video. The finances? That’s in the works.

But the stars are aligning.

On Tuesday, the WBC officially elevated Barrios (29-2, 18 KOs) to welterweight titleholder following his interim-title win over Fabian Maidana on March 30, followed by undisputed champion Terence Crawford’s move to 154 pounds to fight for Israil Madrimov’s WBA junior middleweight belt Aug. 3 in Los Angeles.

As usual, Gibbons could barely contain his excitement over the possibilities Wednesday, while reminding that Pacquiao’s first belt – a flyweight strap accomplished way back in 1998 – was a WBC belt.

“Can you imagine him winning another one all these years later?” Gibbons asked. “It’s so crazy how life goes full circle.

“Look, the fans want to see Manny Pacquiao one more time. What happened last time [a 2021 WBA welterweight title loss in Las Vegas to then-champion Yordenis Ugas] left so many people leaving that arena depressed. Manny should have won.

“He wants to win again. I’ve been with him in training. He’s fast, he’s quick, he’s the Manny of five to 10 years ago. Let’s be honest, 80 percent of Manny Pacquiao beats most of the guys out there today.”

What’s more, by seeking to capture a welterweight belt for a record sixth time against Barrios, Pacquiao wants to enrich the claim that he is the greatest 147-pounder in the sport’s history.

“Nine guys in the Hall of Fame right now are on Manny’s record,” Gibbons said. “Terence Crawford has none. And this is why Manny Pacquiao’s career will always be better than Floyd Mayweather’s, as he’s looking to go punch up on a mobster’s son [John Gatti III] in Mexico City,” Gibbons said.

“Unlike Floyd, Manny didn’t cherry pick his opponents. He fought [Juan Manuel] Marquez, [Erik] Morales and [Marco Antonio] Barrera all at their best weights. He took some losses, yes, but that’s why his record as a welterweight is better than Floyd, than Oscar [De La Hoya], and it will be shown when we make the Barrios fight.”