Mario Barrios a 'risky' potential opponent for Manny Pacquiao, says analyst

A possible match between former eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao and WBC world welterweight champion Mario Barrios can be 'risky,' according to veteran boxing analyst Atty Ed Tolentino.

Pacquiao, 45, returned to action in a three-round exhibition on Sunday against Japanese kickboxer Rukiya Anpo. While neither was declared a winner given the bout's setup, it was a fight that the Japanese would have won if it was scored, says Tolentino.

"We saw a 45-year-old Pacquiao. A Pacquiao who has not fought in the last three years," Tolentino said in an episode of Sparring Sessions Live.

"He was slow and there was no authority in his punches nor balance in his footwork. It was an exhibition but if the fight was scored, he could have lost."

Pacquiao, 62-8-2 with 39 knockouts as a boxer, retired from professional boxing in 2021 after he suffered a unanimous decision loss at the hands of Yordenis Ugas. He, however, is eyeing a possible return to the world championship picture later this year, with Barrios as a potential matchup.

Should the Filipino boxing icon proceed with the Barrios fight, Tolentino believes that Pacquiao should consider taking a tune-up before diving back to a world championship at 45 years old.

"If Pacquiao really wants to fight Mario Barrios for the welterweight championship, I think he needs a tune-up. It would be very risky to go straight to a Barrios fight after what we saw in an exhibition against Anpo," said Tolentino.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News