‘Rested’ Pacquiao Relishing Boxing Comeback at 46 

Manny Pacquiao speaks prior to his WBC welterweight fight versus Mario Barrios at The NOVO at LA Live on June 3, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Manny Pacquiao speaks prior to his WBC welterweight fight versus Mario Barrios at The NOVO at LA Live on June 3, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
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‘Rested’ Pacquiao Relishing Boxing Comeback at 46 

Manny Pacquiao speaks prior to his WBC welterweight fight versus Mario Barrios at The NOVO at LA Live on June 3, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Manny Pacquiao speaks prior to his WBC welterweight fight versus Mario Barrios at The NOVO at LA Live on June 3, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images/AFP)

Manny Pacquiao on Tuesday shrugged off concerns about his decision to return to boxing at the age of 46 as he prepares for next month's world welterweight title comeback against Mario Barrios.

The charismatic Filipino boxing icon stunned the sports world last month after announcing he would take on World Boxing Council (WBC) champion Barrios on July 19 in Las Vegas, four years after his last fight ended in a disappointing defeat.

Pacquiao, who won 12 world titles in eight different weight classes during a glittering professional career that began in 1995, told reporters on Tuesday that the glamour of championship boxing had prompted his return.

"I'm returning because I miss my boxing," Pacquiao said at a press conference in Los Angeles. "Especially these situations -- being interviewed, press conference, training camp, everything like that.

"I missed that. But it has been good for me -- I've rested my body for four years. And now I come back."

Pacquiao said that he had been left devastated following his decision to retire in the wake of his loss to Yordenis Ugas in 2021.

"I always thought, even when I hung up my gloves, 'I can still fight, I can still feel my body, I can still work hard,'" Pacquiao said.

"That moment when I announced hanging up my gloves four years ago -- I was so sad. I was crying, I cannot stop the tears coming out my eyes."

Pacquiao, though, revealed that working out at his home in the Philippines persuaded him he still had the fitness and strength to fight.

"I realized when I'm playing basketball, training at the gym my house -- I have complete sport facilities in my house -- that I still have that passion. I still have that speed and power," he said.

- 'Low-risk' comeback -

Some in boxing have expressed concerns about whether Pacquiao's comeback against Barrios, who is 16 years his junior, represents a risk to the Filipino's safety.

Addressing those concerns, Pacquiao noted that his family and loved ones were firmly behind his comeback.

"I'm thankful for them for their concern," Pacquiao told AFP. "But the people who really concern me, is my family. My family saw how I move, saw how I train, saw my body condition. They support me because they can see the old Pacquiao style."

Pacquiao, who has reunited with veteran trainer Freddie Roach for next month's fight, is able to challenge immediately for a title due to a WBC rule that allows former champions to request a title fight when coming out of retirement.

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman told AFP on Tuesday that Pacquiao had been cleared to return to the ring by the Nevada Athletic Commission after undergoing medical exams, describing the fighter's comeback as "low risk".

"Manny Pacquiao is at no higher risk than any fighter going into the ring," Sulaiman said. "Manny has rested his body for four years. He's not a drinker. He's not a drug user. He's a family man that has taken care of himself. So of the different aspects of dangers, he's at the lowest risk."

Pacquiao's opponent, Barrios, said he would set aside the Filipino's status as one of the most beloved fighters of his era.

"There's nothing but good things to say about him outside the ring," Barrios said of Pacquiao. "He's a hard guy to dislike. But at the end of the day, you know it's kill or be killed.

"And I know if at any point he has me hurt, you know he's going to get me out of there. So I just have to go in there and make sure that my hand is raised at the end of the fight."



Lionel Messi's 6th Brace in 7 Games Seals Inter Miami's Win over Red Bulls

CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 16: Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF shoots during the MLS match between FC Cincinnati and Inter Miami CF at TQL Stadium on July 16, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio.   Jeff Dean/Getty Images/AFP
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 16: Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF shoots during the MLS match between FC Cincinnati and Inter Miami CF at TQL Stadium on July 16, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Jeff Dean/Getty Images/AFP
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Lionel Messi's 6th Brace in 7 Games Seals Inter Miami's Win over Red Bulls

CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 16: Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF shoots during the MLS match between FC Cincinnati and Inter Miami CF at TQL Stadium on July 16, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio.   Jeff Dean/Getty Images/AFP
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 16: Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF shoots during the MLS match between FC Cincinnati and Inter Miami CF at TQL Stadium on July 16, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Jeff Dean/Getty Images/AFP

Lionel Messi had two goals and two assists to lead Inter Miami to a bounce- back 5-1 victory over the host New York Red Bulls on Saturday night in Harrison, N.J.

Messi and Inter Miami (12-4-5, 41 points) erased a 1-0 first-half deficit with a flurry of goals late in the first half -- two of them coming off the foot of Telasco Segovia -- that staked the Herons to a 3-1 halftime lead, Reuters said.

Miami won its sixth MLS match in its past seven after having a five-game winning streak snapped at FC Cincinnati on Wednesday. Messi saw the end of his MLS-record streak of five matches scoring multiple goals, only to record a brace on Saturday.

The Red Bulls (9-9-6, 33 points) failed to string together consecutive wins at home and lost to Inter Miami for the second time this season.

New York scored its lone goal in the 15th minute when Emil Forsberg lifted a corner kick in front of Miami goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo's line of sight. Alexander Hack then kicked it home for the score despite having defender Federico Redondo draped all over him.

Rios Novo made his second start this season for Oscar Ustari, who sat out with an injury.

Jordi Alba, who exited the game in the 84th minute with what appeared to be a leg cramp, scored his first goal of the season in MLS league play off a cross from Messi in the 24th minute to tie the game1-1.

Inter Miami took the lead for good in the 27th when Luis Suarez, who assisted on the first goal, sent a ball ahead to Messi, who then directed it quickly to Alba, who then crossed it back to Segovia for an easy shot into the back of the net.

In the third minute of first-half stoppage time, Redondo advanced the ball into the Red Bulls' box but could not fire off a shot. Segovia, though, surged in and fired a shot off a rebound past Carlos Miguel Coronel for a third goal.

Messi followed with goals in the 60th and 75th minutes to seal the outcome.

Messi increased his total goals in MLS games to 18 this season and has contributed on 27 scores.

The Red Bulls mustered nine shots in the match, but they were outshot 8-1 in shots on target.