Mario Barrios vs. Manny Pacquiao prediction: Mario Barrios vs. Manny Pacquiao: Picking the winner for the WBC welterweight title fight

Manny Pacquiao will be making the long walk to the ring under the bright lights of Las Vegas in his highly anticipated boxing return. This Saturday, the eight-division legend returns to action after three years of retirement and steps inside the squared circle to challenge Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title. Let's break down the card and pick the winners of the fights:

#1. Welterweight: Mario Barrios vs. Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao is 46 but claims he feels like the same fighter who thrilled boxing fans over four decades. This time, he faces a hungry champion, thirteen inches taller with a crisp jab and heavy hands. Barrios won the interim belt last year with a unanimous decision win against Yordenis Ugas. He's coming off a draw against Abel Ramos in November 2024.

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Barrios should win this on paper. He is fresh, bigger, and well-timed for an ageing Pacquiao who cannot afford even a split second of hesitation at this level.

Pacquiao may land bursts of offense early, but expect Barrios to settle down and figure out the angles by round four or five. If the veteran slows down, Barrios will step in with hard shots and do enough to win a clear decision or score a late stoppage if Pacquiao fades badly.

Our Prediction: Barrios by late TKO or unanimous decision

#2. Junior Middleweight: Sebastian Fundora vs. Tim Tszyu

The co-main event features a fiery contest between Sebastian Fundora and Tim Tszyu. Their first clash turned into a back-and-forth brawl marked by cuts and forward pressure from both sides.

Fundora’s reach and inside fighting gave him the edge in close exchanges, but Tszyu’s power made every round dangerous. In this rematch, Tszyu has promised to tighten his defense and force Fundora to trade more at mid-range, where his timing and hooks can do damage.

Fundora should stick to his strengths by keeping Tszyu on the outside and peppering him with his jab before stepping in with uppercuts when Tszyu tries to close the distance. Expect a war again, but the smarter pick is Fundora to repeat what worked before.

Our prediction: Fundora by unanimous decision

#3. The rest of the Mario Barrios vs. Manny Pacquiao card (Winners in bold)

Isaac Cruz (27-3-1) vs. Angel Fierro (23-3-2): Junior welterweight

Brandon Figueroa (25-2-1) vs. Joet Gonzalez (27-4-0): Featherweight

Gary Russell Jr. (31-2-0) vs. Hugo Castaneda (15-2-1): Lightweight

About the author

Abhishek Ramadasan Nambiar is a journalist who covers MMA at Sportskeeda. As a long-time practitioner of various martial arts, seeing the fusion of different forms into a quest for the ultimate fighter felt both primal and profoundly technical. At Sportskeeda, Abhishek's primary goal is to offer a fresh and distinctive angle through his writing, aiming to provide readers with more than just the basics of MMA. Along with keeping them informed about the latest developments in the sport, he strives to offer valuable insights that enhance their understanding of MMA.

When not writing about MMA, Abhishek often spends time reviewing music or devouring Brian Evanson's and Blake Crouch's work. Sign up to receive news, regular updates, and exclusive coverage.

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Edited by Abhishek Nambiar