Manny Pacquiao is back, but why is he getting a title shot?

Manny Pacquiao returns to the ringing for the archetypal clip in astir 4 years July 19 to situation Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title. The combat was officially announced Saturday successful Las Vegas.

Pacquiao, 46, is boxing's lone eight-division champion. He past fought successful August 2021, erstwhile helium suffered a nonaccomplishment by unanimous determination to Yordenis Ugas astatine T-Mobile Arena successful Las Vegas.

Pacquiao (62-8-2, 39 KOs) has won titles from flyweight (112 pounds) to inferior middleweight (154 pounds) implicit a nonrecreational vocation that started successful January 1995. On June 8, he volition beryllium inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Since Pacquiao became a nonrecreational successful January 1995, lone 5 men's fighters person fought aft being inducted into the IBHOF.

Holly Holm, who entered the IBHOF successful 2022, volition beryllium the archetypal pistillate to execute the feat when she fights Yolanda Vega connected June 28, according to ESPN Research.

If Pacquiao beats Barrios, helium volition go the archetypal combatant to triumph a satellite rubric arsenic a Hall of Famer.

"I ever bring surprises to the fans," Pacquiao said astatine a quality league successful Las Vegas connected Saturday. "I'm not taking this lightly. I'm pushing myself to the bounds preparing for this fight."

With everything helium has accomplished successful his career, wherefore is Pacquiao coming back? Why is helium getting a rubric changeable aft being retired for galore years? And what chances does helium person against a combatant 16 years younger?

Andreas Hale answers these questions and more.

Why is Manny Pacquiao coming backmost astatine property 46?

He hinted astatine his reasoning Saturday, saying helium inactive has a emotion for the sport.

"I'm coming backmost due to the fact that it's my passion," Pacquiao said. "I've been gone for 4 years but I ever deliberation astir boxing. I truly missed it."

His archetypal station connected societal media confirming the combat connected May 21 besides mentioned the past attached to the bout. "I'm back," helium wrote, and concluded the station with "Let's marque history!" Pacquiao volition effort to go the oldest combatant to triumph the welterweight championship, breaking the grounds helium acceptable successful 2019 erstwhile helium defeated Keith Thurman for the WBA loop astatine property 40.

How is Pacquiao getting a rubric changeable successful his instrumentality fight?

Although Pacquiao hasn't won a combat successful astir six years, the WBC's rules authorities a erstwhile champion tin petition a rubric combat aft coming retired of retirement. After announcing his return, Pacquiao was the No. 5-ranked welterweight by the WBC. He is ranked down Devin Haney, Souleymane Cissokho, Conor Benn and Egidijus Kavaliauskas.

How did Pacquiao look the past clip we saw him successful the ring?

Like an older and slower mentation of Pacquiao. Against Ugas successful 2021, Pacquiao lacked the footwork and explosiveness that made him boxing's archetypal and lone eight-division satellite champion. His movements were predictable, and Ugas, a technically dependable boxer from Cuba, kept the Filipino sensation distant with his jab and timed his entrances with a looping close hand. It was a competitory encounter, but Ugas was the wide winner. According to CompuBox, Pacquiao landed lone 130 of 815 punches (19%). It was easy Pacquiao's astir abysmal show since losing to Floyd Mayweather in their 2015 blockbuster. In his past six fights, from November 2016 to August 2021, Pacquiao threw 10 less punches and landed 7 less punches per circular compared with his premier years from December 2008 to April 2016. It's hard to deliberation he'll beryllium overmuch amended 4 years aft his past fight.

Who is Mario Barrios?

Barrios, who is simply a tall, lanky 30-year-old warring retired of San Antonio, is the WBC welterweight champion. At 6 feet tall, he's a nightmare for the 147-pound part due to the fact that of his important tallness vantage implicit a bulk of the value class. He's a high-volume puncher who often negates his tallness and 71-inch scope by opting to brawl connected the inside.

But his look has been palmy successful his career. After turning pro successful 2013, Barrios went 26-0 earlier being stopped by Gervonta Davis successful 2021 in a inferior welterweight bout. Barrios mislaid his adjacent combat to erstwhile welterweight champion Thurman successful 2022 but has gone unbeaten successful his past 4 fights, including a unanimous determination triumph against the past antheral to bushed Pacquiao, Ugas, successful 2023 for the vacant WBC interim title.

In his astir caller combat successful November, Barrios battled Abel Ramos to a divided gully connected the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson undercard.

"Every combat and main lawsuit I person been successful has prepared maine for Manny Pacquiao," Barrios said Saturday. "This is my moment. I'm defending my rubric against a legend."

How does this interaction Pacquiao's IBHOF induction?

It doesn't. Pacquiao was voted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame successful December, good earlier helium planned to retire. Pacquiao volition header this year's people June 8, alongside Vinny Paz, Michael Nunn and others.

Way excessively aboriginal prediction

Pacquiao (+300 per ESPN BET) looked dilatory and unsure erstwhile helium mislaid to Ugas 4 years ago. The boxing fable volition request the explosiveness and velocity helium had earlier successful his vocation to flooded Barrios' carnal advantages. Barrios (-400 favorite) volition usage his magnitude and scope to support his hostile connected the extracurricular and outwork Pacquiao to clasp his rubric by decision.