Manny Pacquiao’s next fight: who comes after Barrios?
Manny Pacquiao’s next fight analysis offers more questions than answers. Check out who comes next for “Pac-Man” after Sunday’s showdown.
Consequently, “who comes next?” for the two fighters comes out as the most popular question coming out of social media.
Because of this, the future remains bright for Pacquiao despite settling for a majority draw that enabled Barrios to keep his WBC welterweight title.
Manny Pacquiao’s next fight: what went right?
Manny Pacquiao’s next fight chatter should evolve mostly on what went right for ‘Pac-Man.”
Admittedly, the 46-year-old Hall-of-Famer from the Philippines defied predictions and Father Time by displaying flashes of his old form in the early rounds.
Interestingly, the eight-division champion also displayed his durability by enduring 12 long rounds and lasted the distance.
This just showed that a longer training period with no distractions based on Fight Week could even make Pacquiao a better fighter despite his age.
His explosiveness might not have been consistent the whole 12 rounds but a better state of mind for a future fight could change that.
What went wrong for ‘Pac-Man?
Manny Pacquiao’s next fight seemed uncertain Sunday as he couldn’t dominate the younger Barrios particularly in the later rounds.
Interestingly, the hand speed and powerful southpaw stance remains in “Pac-Man’s arsenal even for some bursts of punches throughout.
Because of this, several experts and fans are convinced the Pacquiao from 10 years ago can easily defeat Barrios.
He may not completely get back the explosiveness and lightning speed he had during his peak based on what we know from the two fighters.
But a mature and wiser Pacquiao could compensate for those flaws and still make him a better fighter moving forward.
Will Romero engage vs Pacquiao compared to Barrios? Does this fight sell more?
Will Roando “Rolly” Romero engage more against Pacquiao compared to Barrios if the former looms as Pac-Man’s next fight?
Consequently, the reigning World Boing Association (WBA) welterweight champion welcomes the opportunity to stake his title against a ring legend.
Unlike Barrios, Romero is known to engage with his previous opponents.
This was shown in his fights against Gervonta Davis in 2022 to Ismael Barroso (2023) to Ryan Garcia (2024).
The 29-year-old American fighting Pacquiao could generate a bigger payday compared to Pacquiao-Barrios’ prize money.
“We can do it. Everything has to make sense,” Romero said when asked of a possible fight against Pacquiao on Monday.
“It’s going to be a fan favorite. That makes sense right there,” he added.
FIGHT METRICS: EXPLORE WHAT COMPUBOX STATS SAID
| Fighter | Total Punches (Body Landed) | Total Jabs (Body Landed) | Power Punches (Body Landed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pacquiao | 101 (24)/577) 17.5% | 20 (0) /318 6.3% | 81 (24)/259 31.3% |
| Barrios | 120 (35)/658 18.2% | 45 (2)/423 10.6% | 75 (33)/235 31.9% |
What went right for Barrios?
Barrios played the long game and kept Pacquiao at bay with his timely jabs..
He also had a reach advantage that prevented the ring legend from lunging at him.
Additionally, the 30-year-old reigning champion parried several attempts by Pacquiao to search for at least a knockdown.
This enabled him to land a flurry of punches with counters, jabs, and some strong hooks in almost all 12 rounds.
When he felt “Pac-Man” was gaining headway in the middle rounds, “El Azteca” did what he had to do in the last three rounds.
What went wrong for ‘El Azteca’?
Barrios had some opportunities to control the fight for more rounds to ensure a unanimous decision win but he failed.
The fact that the 30-year-old San Antonio native has been passive in some rounds made him predictable throughout.
This allowed Pacquiao to keep the fight close based on the judges’ scorecards.
One judge had it 115-113 for “El Azteca,” while two others had it 114-all.
Barrios had to rally in rounds 10 to 12 to prevent Pacquiao from snatching his WBC title with another history-making moment.
What the future holds for Pacquiao?
Understandably, Pacquiao’s confidence went on a high by lasting the full distance.
This just means the General Santos native is convinced Sunday wasn’t his last fight.
Naturally, a rematch with Barros is a welcome option for “Pac-Man” but will the fans lap it up again?
Earlier, ESPN reported that Pacquiao can challenge for another world title, this time against Romero.
A matchup against fellow southpaw Gervonta “Tank” Davis may be explosive but dangerous for Pacquiao.
One thing’s certain: we may not have heard the last of “Pac-Man” in the ring. Not yet, anyway.
What’s next for Barrios?
Barrios keeps his WBC title, meaning he won’t be lacking in challengers other than a Pacquiao rematch.
“El Azteca” may not be close to being the best of the current welterweight champions but he gained valuable experience from facing a ring legend.
However, the question begs as to whether Barrios gets his next fight that offers a major payday after Sunday’s bout.
The novelty of a Pacquiao-Barrios rematch in 2026 or the next few years may have waned despite a controversial decision.
Either way, he had a long career ahead of him, whether he remains as a champion for a long time or not.
Did Barrios prove himself as one of top current welterweight champs out there?
Barrios gets points for not getting intimidated by Pacquiao and he manages to go toe-to-toe against him throughout.
However, the result does not bode well for a younger and a reigning champion who was favored to post a major victory.
True, “El Azteca” kept his WBC belt but he is far from being close to his fellow welterweight champions of his generation.
A convincing win in his next title defense might change that. But that’s for a later time.
For now, Barros’ handlers may want the American to challenge other champions from the division to revive fans’ interest in him.
Does this result change Pacquiao’s legacy?
Chasing history, more than his passion for boxing, was the greatest narrative to fuel Pacquiao’s return to the ring in four years.
Despite an unfavorable result, this does not tarnish an already secured Pacquiao legacy especially after he was inducted to the Hall of Fame.
A win would’ve broken Pacquiao’s own record as the oldest world champion after his win over Keith Thuman in 2019 made him a champ at 40.
But that doesn’t mean “Pac-Man” won’t get another chance to rewrite history in his next fight. Or fights.
Maybe Pacquiao just wants his last fight to end with a victory and head off to the sunset for good.
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