Manny Pacquiao’s next rival: meet Mario Barrios, the WBC titleholder

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 28: WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios stretches as he works out at Pound 4 Pound Gym on June 28, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Barrios is scheduled to defend his title against new International Boxing Hall of Fame member Manny Pacquiao, who announced he was coming out of retirement nearly four years after his last fight, on July 19 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Ethan Miller/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Ethan Miller / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

 

Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao will face WBC Welterweight World Champion Mario Barrios on July 19, 2025, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

The event will be broadcast live via Prime Video Pay-Per-View, with tickets currently available for purchase.

Barrios, a native of San Antonio, Texas, will enter the ring for the highest-profile match of his career. Nicknamed “El Azteca,” the champion will defend his WBC title against Pacquiao, widely known as “Pacman” and regarded as one of boxing’s most celebrated figures.

The matchup is expected to draw global attention from fans and analysts, with both fighters’ physical statistics—such as height, reach, and stance—available on official sports platforms.

Pacquiao, a former eight-division world champion and Hall of Famer, last fought in 2021. Barrios, with a chance to solidify his standing in the sport, will look to score a career-defining win.

The MGM Grand Garden Arena will serve as the venue for the highly anticipated welterweight clash, which is being billed as one of the most significant boxing events of the year.

Photo credit: Los Angeles Times

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