MANNY Pacquiao’s potential ring return inched closer to reality after the World Boxing Council upgraded and formalized the status of American Mario Barrios as the official WBC world welterweight champion last Tuesday.
An article by veteran ring writer Phil Jay posted on the worldboxingnews.net website yesterday reported that “the WBC Board of Governors has voted in favor of the ruling to elevate interim champion Mario Barrios to World champion after the WBC granted Terrence Crawford a recess status.
“Crawford will compete in a final elimination bout in the super welterweight division to decide which category he will continue.”
The undisputed world welterweight champ, Crawford has decided drop his belts to challenge Mexican Canelo Alvarez, the unified super middleweight champ, in the much heavier weight class.
Pacquiao, 45, has publicly made it known that he wants a crack at the tall American as his comeback fight since losing his World Boxing Association super welterweight crown by unanimous decision to unheralded Cuban Yordenis Ugas on Aug. 8, 2021 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
With a record of 68 wins, 39 knockouts eight losses and two draw, the Pinoy ring icon is 16 years older than the 5-foot-10 Barrios, 29, who boasts 29 victories (18 KOs) and two losses.
The Mexican known by his moniker “El Azteca” captured the WBC interim championship on Sept. 20, 2023 with a unanimous decision win over Ugas at the T-Mobile Arena.
