Overview

• Manny Pacquiao plans to return to professional boxing nearly four years after retiring, challenging Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title on July 19 in Las Vegas.
• Concerns have been raised by experts like Ariel Helwani and Robert Garcia, who warn of potential safety risks and question Pacquiao's ability to compete at an elite level at age 46.
• Pacquiao's recent exhibition performances, including a lackluster showing against Rukiya Anpo, have fueled doubts about his sharpness and readiness for a high-stakes title bout.
• The WBC reinstated Pacquiao in its top-five welterweight rankings, enabling the fight to be sanctioned under its Champion Emeritus rule, though state athletic commissions have yet to approve it.
• The fight coincides with Pacquiao's June induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and follows his recent loss in the Philippine Senate race, adding political and legacy dimensions to his return.