‘So Dirty’:  Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao shares his experience with politics

Philippine boxing icon Manny Pacquiao recently announced his return to the ring after a four-year hiatus. The former eight-division world champion made it official by posting on social media that he will come out of retirement to face World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion Mario Barrios for the title in Las Vegas.

“I’m back. On July 19, I return to the ring to face WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Let’s make history!” Pacquiao posted on X (formerly Twitter).

This will be Pacquiao’s first professional fight since losing by unanimous decision to Yordenis Ugas in August 2021 for the World Boxing Association (WBA) super welterweight title. That title had been stripped from Pacquiao due to inactivity. Since then, he has only participated in exhibition bouts around the world.

The delay in confirming the fight was attributed to Pacquiao’s bid to return to the Philippine Senate. However, his attempt fell short, as he finished 18th with 10,397,133 votes—missing out on a top 12 finish required to secure a seat. Notably, he had previously served as a senator from 2016 to 2022, and two of his family members also failed in their respective bids to join the House of Representatives.

In a recent media interaction, the Filipino icon confirmed he is done with politics when asked whether he plans to return in the future.

Manny Pacquiao Says He’s Done W/ ‘Dirty’ Politics, Focused On Comeback | Click to read more 👇 https://t.co/K30JpDFANZ

— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) June 8, 2025

“Zero in my mind about politics. Politics is so dirty. I don’t like that. When I was in politics, I wanted to serve honestly. I wanted to serve people because that’s our legacy,” Pacquiao stated.

Pacquiao had not only sought a Senate seat but also ran for President of the Philippines in 2022. He finished third in the election, garnering around 4 million votes and later conceding to Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who won by a landslide.

For now, all of Pacquiao’s focus is on defeating Barrios, who is 16 years his junior at age 30. A win for Pacquiao would mark his 13th welterweight title and his first since winning the World Boxing Organization (WBO) title in 2009, when he beat Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto via a 12th-round technical knockout.

The bout was initially scheduled for the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas but was moved to the MGM Grand Garden Arena due to a prior commitment for a Lady Gaga concert.

The Pacquiao vs. Barrios fight will reportedly be streamed via PBC on Prime Video pay-per-view.

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