If anyone ever thought they had seen the last of Manny Pacquiao in the boxing ring, then they were dead wrong as it seems we can expect a new fixture with him soon. 

This is coming after the WBC has responded nicely to him coming back for a fight. And not just any fight, but a title fight. Yes, Pacquiao would be contesting for the vacant WBC welterweight title in what could be one of boxing’s most anticipated fights in recent years. 

This news is particularly surprising because Pacquaio was the one who announced his retirement back in 2021 after losing to Yordenis Ugás, and then he was 42. So coming at age 45 to say he wants to contest for the WBC welterweight title is quite surprising and, frankly, something worth looking forward to. 

Reacting to the news of Pacquiao’s comeback, the WBC president, Mauricio Sulaiman, said the Filipino was more than welcome to fight for the welterweight championship, a title he once held before, under different associations. 

He said: “Manny Pacquiao is timeless. He’s a legend. We have great precedent of former champions coming back as long as they pass successfully all the medical examinations.

“As a former champion and as a legend, he does have the possibility of fighting for the WBC championship. I do like the idea very much. I think Manny Pacquiao can beat any fighter or can be competitive with any fighter today.”

Sulaiman further described Pacquiao’s return to the WBC as ‘sensational’, as the first WBC title he held was at the flyweight division, which he won in 1998. 

For now, there is no information on when or where this fight would take place. Details are still quite vague, and the only thing we have for now is that Pacquiao’s possible opponent could be Mario Barrios. But even Pacquiao noted that negotiations were still in place and things had not materialised fully.