Manny Pacquiao Set for Comeback at 45, Approved as WBC Welterweight Title Challenger
Manny Pacquiao, the legendary Filipino boxer, is set to make a comeback to the sport at the age of 45. Despite having a storied career with 72 professional fights and multiple world titles, Pacquiao’s application to compete in the Olympics was recently denied. However, the WBC has announced that they would approve him as a challenger for their vacant welterweight title.
The vacancy in the 147-pound division was created when Terence Crawford relinquished the belt to move up to junior middleweight. Currently, Mario Barrios, 29, holds the WBC interim strap, and a potential fight between Pacquiao and Barrios is reportedly being negotiated. The sanctioning body’s president, Mauricio Sulaiman, has expressed his enthusiasm for Pacquiao’s comeback, stating that the Filipino legend can be “competitive with any fighter today.”
“Pacquiao’s return to the WBC title picture, more than two decades after his first world championship, would be a ‘sensational’ event.”
- Mauricio Sulaiman, WBC President
Pacquiao’s illustrious career includes winning the WBC flyweight title in 1999 and subsequently capturing various welterweight championships, including the WBO and WBA versions. His last victory came in 2019 when he defeated Keith Thurman over 12 rounds. Despite the punishing nature of his fights, Sulaiman believes that Pacquiao’s return to the WBC title picture, more than two decades after his first world championship, would be a “sensational” event.
The negotiations for a potential matchup between Pacquiao and Barrios are expected to intensify, as the WBC has indicated its willingness to approve the former champion as a challenger for the vacant welterweight title. Boxing enthusiasts eagerly await to see if Pacquiao can reclaim the glory that made him a legend in the sport.
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