5 Burning Questions for Pacquiao-Barrios & Fundora-Tszyu II
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With Manny Pacquiao officially coming out of retirement at age 46, boxing’s spotlight shifts once again to a living legend. His return raises important questions about legacy, timing, and what it means for the sport’s current landscape.
From the stakes for Mario Barrios, to the future of Tim Tszyu and the overlooked depth at 154 pounds, we break down the most intriguing storylines heading into Pacquiao’s comeback fight weekend:
#1. What do you think of 46-year-old Manny Pacquiao’s comeback, and what impact does it have on boxing overall?
Lee: Why would Manny Pacquiao come out of retirement to fight Mario Barrios? The answer seems simple. He likely sees something in Barrios’ game he can exploit. Look back at the Keith Thurman fight. Pacquiao probably believed Thurman would underestimate him and avoid exchanges. Thurman did both, and he lost.
In the grand scheme of boxing, Pacquiao’s return may not be a major moment. But as a fan, it is exciting to see him back. He has aged, and hopefully he can still perform without taking too much damage. This could be the last time we see an all-time great like Pacquiao make the walk to the ring.
Evan: I’m pretty confused overall as to why Manny Pacquiao felt the need to return to boxing at this stage of his life. A win over Mario Barrios really doesn’t add anything significant to his legacy, neither does another title. Whether it’s for financial reasons, a return to the spotlight, or some other motivation, I’m not sure what the inspiration is behind Pacquiao’s surprising comeback.
But Lee probably hit the nail on the head that he’s returning because he doesn’t view Barrios as much of a threat and a vulnerable champion to exploit. The landscape of 147 pounds currently, one of boxing’s usual money divisions, is kind of murky right now. It’s become a bit of a lackluster talent pool during its transition phase, outside of Brian Norman Jr. and with Boots Ennis’ impending departure to move up in weight.
Manny might be able to provide a spark to a rather lifeless division at the moment. Regardless of why he’s back, it’ll be cool to see an icon of the sport like Pacquiao compete again and see if he’s still got the superstar appeal he’s known for.
#2. What would a win over even an aging, diminished Pacquiao do for Mario Barrios’ career?
Lee: A win over Pacquiao would add an all-time great to Mario Barrios’ resume. While Boots Ennis and Brian Norman Jr. are the top names at welterweight right now, Barrios should not be overlooked. He is a former two-division champion who moved up after a strong run at light welterweight.
His welterweight debut ended in a loss to Keith Thurman in 2022. But, he bounced back with three straight wins before a draw against Abel Ramos. Future matchups with Ennis and Norman Jr. will help define his path.
A win over Pacquiao would be a career highlight and a much-needed confidence boost for the young WBC titleholder.
Evan: Defeating Pacquiao would definitely help Barrios’ career in terms of increasing his notoriety and opening up the door for more lucrative opportunities against big named opponents. It would be big for his brand in that way as a fighter, despite Manny being a potentially diminished version of himself. A victory over the Filipino icon is undoubtedly going to garner clout and attention. However, I do feel it comes with a caveat and is watered down in value.
Pacquiao is closing in on 50 and hasn’t fought in four years, those are just the facts. Beating him now doesn’t hold the same weight as it did a decade ago. It’s also why as Lee suggested, Mario shouldn’t be taken lightly in this fight. He’s big, rangy, tough, scrappy, has a quality jab, and an experienced trainer in his corner with Bob Santos.
People seem to forget Manny has lost to the likes of Jeff Horn and Yordenis Ugas before. There’s a reason he’s a near three to one underdog going into this fight. Pacquiao’s a live dog for sure, but Barrios will be a tougher challenge than many might expect.
#3. Is this rematch against Sebastian Fundora a make or break fight for Tim Tszyu’s career at this point?
Lee: Tim Tszyu says he needs to rewrite history after a fight he believes he should have won against Sebastian Fundora. He dominated the first two rounds, landing clean right hands before an accidental elbow opened a deep cut that changed the momentum.
Fundora, who took the fight on just 12 days’ notice, took advantage of the injury. Both fighters showed heart as the bout went the distance, despite multiple doctor stoppages. This time, Tszyu will have a full camp to prepare. The loss was tough, especially with it being his Las Vegas debut and first U.S. pay-per-view main event.
It may not define his career. But, a win is important if Tszyu wants to stay relevant in a division short on star power.
Evan: Lee makes some very good points regarding the first Tszyu-Fundora meeting. Especially the cut that was created on the crown of Tim’s head from the elbow, where you could see a visible dent within his skull. That no question altered his ability to perform to his full capacity. With that being said, I feel this is a bit of a defining moment for his career.
Following the first loss to Fundora, the way Tszyu was dismantled and ran through by Bakhram Murtazaliev only six months later. While he got a nice bounce back win over Joey Spencer, there’s still more questions than answers when it pertains to Tszyu’s placement in the current landscape of the sport.
If he’s able to get revenge against and beat Fundora, it will be a reclamation of sorts to reassert himself as a notable name in boxing. On the other hand, a second loss to Sebastian could be detrimental for Tim. That’s why to me it’s ultimately a pivotal fight in signaling the trajectory of where Tszyu’s career is heading.
#4. Is the 154-pound division boxing’s most overlooked? Will Fundora or Tszyu be the most vulnerable champion in the sport overall?
Lee: This division would not be overlooked if Terence Crawford, Errol Spence Jr., and Jermell Charlo were actively competing. Their presence would bring much-needed excitement. As it stands, only a few matchups are must-watch. Vergil Ortiz Jr., Sebastian Fundora, and Xander Zayas represent the present, while Keith Thurman may have aged out of contention.
Israil Madrimov impressed against Crawford but then lost decisively to Ortiz Jr., leaving his place unclear. Charlo has been mostly inactive, and Spence Jr. has not fought since losing to Crawford in July 2023 despite plans to move to 154 pounds.
To revive the division, fighters like number four Bakhram Murtazaliev and number seven Serhii Bohachuk need to keep rising. Boxing thrives on star power and compelling fights.
Evan: So I’m on the opposite end of the spectrum. It’s definitely one of the most slept-on divisions in the entire sport and way deeper than it’s gotten credit for. In terms of the three fighters Lee mentioned, Crawford shouldn’t even be viewed as any sort of factor at 154 pounds. He’s fought one time at that weight and immediately jumped up to 168 pounds to face Canelo in a super fight that may very well be Bud’s last outing.
Spence Jr. has also never competed at 154, hasn’t fought in over two years, and is rumored to be heavily considering retirement. Meanwhile, as of March, Charlo is reportedly in the gym gearing up for a comeback.
Outside of the Crawford, Spence, and Charlo trio, the current junior middleweight division is filled with intriguing talent. It features a strong mix of rising contenders and experienced veterans.
Notable names in the division include:
Young Contenders & Rising Stars:
- Andreas Katzourakis
- Bakary Samake
- Callum Walsh
- Charles Conwell
- Conor Benn
- Jesus Ramos Jr.
- Sebastian Fundora
- Serhii Bohachuk
- Tim Tszyu
- Vergil Ortiz Jr.
- Xander Zayas
- Yoenis Tellez
Established Veterans & Challengers:
- Bakhram Murtazaliev
- Brian Mendoza
- Erickson Lubin
- Israil Madrimov
- Jermell Charlo
- Keith Thurman
On top of that, undefeated IBF and WBA Welterweight Champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis has confirmed he will move up to 154 pounds, adding even more excitement. With Ennis joining an already deep talent pool, it’s hard to say the junior middleweight division is lacking star power or fun fights.
#5. Which other fight or fighter on this card should people be paying attention to?
Lee: My first thought was Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz, but I’m going with Gary Russell Jr. He will fight for the first time in over three years. At 37, he is returning after a long layoff following a loss to Mark Magsayo in January 2022.
Russell, with a record of 31-2 and 18 knockouts, will face Hugo Castaneda, who last fought on April 5 and was stopped in four rounds by Demler Zamora. Russell Jr. has stayed close to the sport by training his younger brothers, WBA Super Lightweight Champion Gary Antuanne and bantamweight contender Gary Antonio. He hopes to showcase the skills that once made him boxing’s longest reigning male champion.
This seems like a safe fight for the former WBC Featherweight Champion, but Russell Jr. will likely need to shake off some ring rust.
Evan: I think the easy answer is the Cruz-Fierro rematch. Per CompuBox, they threw over 1,400 punches combined in their first fight back in February. Some people have forgotten how incredible that initial meeting between them was, as it’s still a legitimate FOTY contender for 2025. It’s a near guarantee that their second clash will be entertaining and yet another absolute slugfest.
Mark Magsayo vs. Jorge Mata is another matchup that should deliver fireworks too. But the fighter I want to shine some spotlight on is Filipino Olympic bronze medalist Eumir Marcial. He’s undefeated currently at 5-0 and seems to be a prospect PBC is intent on building up.
This is a great showcase opportunity for him fighting on the prelims of Pacquiao’s return. Marcial is someone who could definitely become a player at 160 pounds within the next year or so.
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