“Forget about politics”: Manny Pacquiao aims to cement his boxing legacy after comeback

Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao made his highly anticipated professional comeback on Sunday, July 20 (Philippine Standard Time), when he fought Mario Barrios for the World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight title before a capacity crowd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The fight between Pacquiao and Barrios ended in a controversial majority draw after 12 rounds, with two judges scoring the bout 114–114, while the third judge had it 115–113 in favor of Barrios. As a result, Barrios retained his WBC welterweight title and improved his record to 29-2-2 with 18 knockouts. Pacquiao’s career record now stands at 62-8-3.

The 46-year-old was not pleased with the result, stating that he believed he had won the bout and immediately called for a rematch.

The former eight-division world champion reiterated in the post-fight press conference that he is now focused on leaving a lasting legacy through boxing after coming out of retirement—and that he has moved on from any plans of returning to politics.

“PacMan is back and the journey will continue. Politics? Forget about politics. I’m a private citizen right now. I want to live a simple life, giving inspiration. I’m still helping other people. That’s my heart—to leave a legacy,” Pacquiao said.

Thank you Lord for keeping us safe in the ring. I want to thank my wife, my kids, my family, my team and everyone who supported me throughout this fight.

To Mario Barrios, you are a true warrior. It was an honor to share the ring with you. Even after all these years, I felt… pic.twitter.com/WZixTXpkfp

— Manny Pacquiao (@MannyPacquiao) July 21, 2025

Notably, he previously served as a senator from 2016 to 2022. His most recent bid for reelection, however, did not end well, as he finished 18th with 10,397,133 votes—falling short of the top 12 who secured Senate seats.

Pacquiao also ran for president in 2022 but lost, finishing third behind current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former Vice President Leni Robredo, after garnering over 3.6 million votes.

“I always say this to everyone, especially to the Filipino people: I want to create a legacy that I can leave behind when we’re gone. We are not here forever—we’re just passing through. So, while you still have strength and the capacity to make a difference, make it count. At the end of the day, you won’t regret it, because that’s what people will remember you for—especially the next generation,” he added.

In the undercard, Filipino star Mark Magsayo defeated Jorge Mata Cuéllar by unanimous decision in the super featherweight division, while Eumir Marcial scored a third-round TKO victory over Bernard Joseph in the middleweight category.

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