“Even at 70%, Manny Pacquiao beats today’s top 10”: Sean Gibbons defends Filipino boxing icon

Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao returned to the ring on July 19 and, at 46 years old, proved he still has plenty left to offer. His comeback fight against WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios ended in a controversial majority draw after 12 rounds. 

Two judges scored the bout 114–114, while the third gave Barrios a narrow 115–113 win—enough for the Mexican-American to retain his title and improve to 29-2-2 (18 KOs). Pacquiao’s record now stands at 62-8-3.

Sean Gibbons, president of MP Promotions, expressed his frustration with the outcome, insisting that Pacquiao deserved the victory. He also claimed that even a diminished version of the eight-division world champion still ranks above most of today’s elite.

“It’s been a hard pill to swallow, but Manny is a man of God and believes things happen for a reason. We can’t change the result, so all we can do is take another shot at history and stay open to fighting in December,” Gibbons said in an interview with Betway Insider.

“Rolly Romero is one of the front-runners because Manny wants meaningful fights—he wants to do something that makes sense, not just fight for the sake of it. He wants to break his own record and make history. Now, he’ll have to do it at 47, and that’s where things stand.”

Manny Pacquiao is targeting Rolando Romero for the WBA title rather than a Mario Barrios rematch, according to MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons. pic.twitter.com/Pe8nQKSAAm

— Fight Night Updates (@FightNytUpdates) September 1, 2025

Gibbons defended Pacquiao against criticism over his comeback at such an advanced age, particularly after the WBC ranked him No. 5 and approved his immediate title shot. The move drew backlash from fans and analysts who accused WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman of favoritism for bypassing the ranking system.

“Manny Pacquiao is a Hall of Famer, a legend, and when he sets out to do something, he makes sure he won’t get hurt. Unless you know Manny, people criticizing him for returning at 46 and questioning the WBC should be laughing at themselves. Even at 70 percent, Manny Pacquiao is better than most of today’s top 10 fighters,” Gibbons added.

The boxing executive lamented that the draw cost Pacquiao potential endorsements despite his strong showing. “It’s a shame because that result cost him sponsors and deals, when millions of people could see what the judges didn’t. After six rounds, I was pinching myself, saying, ‘Is this real? Is he going to do it?’”

“I thought it would either be amazing or a disaster. What we saw wasn’t vintage Pacquiao, but even at 70 percent, he’s better than 110 percent of other guys out there. That shows his greatness. Like Michael Jordan, these legends can still perform in their 40s because of how extraordinary they were in their prime.”

Looking ahead, Gibbons confirmed Pacquiao is determined to fight again in December. Romero, the reigning WBA welterweight champion, is currently seen as the leading candidate, though Ryan Garcia has also expressed interest, previously claiming he would knock Pacquiao out.

After a brief vacation in Italy with his wife, Pacquiao has returned to the Philippines, where his camp is expected to finalize plans for his next fight. While nothing is official yet, all signs point to December for his return to the ring.

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