Manny Pacquiao re-enters WBC rankings at No 5 as Mario Barrios title challenge approaches

In what is sure to be seen as a controversial move, Manny Pacquiao has been reinstated in the WBC welterweight rankings – and at No 5, no less – as he prepares to challenge champion Mario Barrios.

On 19 July, Pacquiao is due to end a four-year absence from the ring, as the 46-year-old aims to dethrone Barrios, 29.

Pacquiao last fought in August 2021, losing to Yordenis Ugas via unanimous decision in Las Vegas, and he will return to the same city when he faces Barrios.

Ahead of that fight with the American, Pacquiao has re-entered the WBC rankings at No 5, with third-ranked Conor Benn and No 1 Devin Haney the best-known names above him.

Pacquiao, widely considered one of boxing’s all-time greats, is the sport’s only eight-weight world champion. In July 2019, in his second-most-recent bout, he beat Keith Thurman to become the oldest welterweight champion in history aged 40. He will look to surpass his own record when he boxes Barrios.

The 46-year-old, who fought in exhibition bouts in 2022 and as recently as last July, is invoking his right to have an immediate title shot as a former champion.

The WBC rules state that all title holders must defend their belts against a ‘Qualified Challenger’, and this includes any former WBC champion.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said last week: “At this time, Mario Barrios is going to fight Manny Pacquiao in July. That’s a tremendous fight.

“Manny Pacquiao’s first title was at flyweight, with the WBC. And [now] he wants to retire as the WBC champion, so he’s fighting in the welterweight division.”

Pacquiao is also known for his political endeavours in his home country of the Philippines, where he served as a senator from 2016 until 2022. He also ran for president in 2022 but was unsuccessful, and now he is eyeing a return to the Senate.