WBC welterweight titleholder Mario Barrios (29-2-2, 18 KOs) and boxing icon Manny Pacquiao (62-8-3, 39 KOs) battled to a contentious 12-round majority draw in their Saturday night main event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Barrios, aged 30, appeared hesitant and cautious for much of the contest. However, he found his rhythm in the later stages, rallying in rounds 10 through 12 to secure the draw.
Official Scores
114-114
115-113 for Barrios
114-114
Preliminary Bout Results
WBC junior middleweight kingpin Sebastian Fundora (23-1-1, 15 KOs) may have signaled the end for former WBO champion Tim Tszyu (25-3, 18 KOs), achieving a seventh-round TKO. Tszyu was floored in the opening round and endured punishment throughout rounds 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. While Tim landed occasional powerful blows, Fundora maintained a consistent assault. The stoppage occurred at 3:00 of the seventh round.
Light welterweight sensation Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz (28-3-1, 18 KOs) triumphed over late-replacement opponent Omar Salcido (20-3, 14 KOs) via a 10-round unanimous decision. The judges scored the bout 100-88, 99-89, and 99-89 in favor of Cruz.
Featherweight champion Brandon Figueroa (26-2-1, 19 KOs) emerged victorious against Joet Gonzalez (27-5, 15 KOs) with a 12-round unanimous decision, with scores of 115-113, 116-112, and 116-112. Despite Gonzalez’s effective performance, the judges favored the more well-known fighter, former WBA and WBC super bantamweight champion Figueroa.
Super featherweight veteran Gary Russell Jr. (32-2, 19 KOs) demonstrated his enduring skill at 37, securing a tenth-round knockout of Hugo Castaneda (15-3, 11 KOs) with a body shot. Russell’s powerful body blow dropped Castaneda in round ten.
Unable to continue after rising, Castaneda prompted referee Harvey Dock to halt the fight. Russell had previously knocked Casteneda down twice in the second round with blows to the head.
Former WBA featherweight champion Russell Jr., at 37, recorded three knockdowns against Casteneda: two in round two and the final one in round ten.
This marked Russell Jr.’s first fight since his defeat to Mark Magsayo in 2022 and his first victory since 2020.
Featherweight prospect David Picasso (32-0-1, 17 KOs) secured a hard-fought ten-round majority decision over Kyonosuke Kameda (15-5-2, 9 KOs). The bout, initially expected to be straightforward for the 24-year-old Picasso, proved to be a challenging encounter.
Kameda surprisingly outworked Picasso, landing more effective and numerous punches. Despite this, the judges awarded Picasso the victory with scores of 98-92, 95-95, and 97-93.
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Pacquiao would require his peak abilities from 15 years prior to secure a win, given his age and past vulnerabilities. Many boxing enthusiasts anticipated a potential upset against the 30-year-old Barrios (29-2-1, 18 KOs), though betting odds favored Barrios.
Broadcast of Pacquiao vs. Barrios via PPV
The entire event was broadcast on PBC through Prime Video Pay-Per-View, commencing at 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT. The PPV was priced at $79.99. The preliminary card was available at no cost to Prime Video subscribers. Non-subscribers needed a subscription to view this portion of the undercard.
Detailed Fight Card: Pacquiao vs. Barrios
Manny Pacquiao vs. Mario Barrios
Sebastian Fundora vs. Tim Tszyu 2
Isaac Cruz vs. Omar Salcido
Brandon Figueroa vs. Joet Gonzalez
Gary Russell Jr. vs. Hugo Castañeda
David Picasso vs. Kyonosuke Kameda
Mark Magsayo vs. Jorge Mata
Pacquiao’s Financial Gain from the Bout
A loss for Pacquiao could signal his permanent retirement, free from the lingering desire for one more victory. He received a substantial payment of $12.6 million for participating, with potential earnings exceeding $18 million once PPV sales were calculated. This represents significant compensation for a veteran fighter returning from a loss and a four-year hiatus.
Fundora vs. Tszyu 2: A Second Encounter
The co-main event featured WBC junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora (22-1-1, 14 KOs) aiming to replicate his previous victory against Tim Tszyu (25-2, 18 KOs). Fundora had defeated Tszyu by a split decision in their prior 12-round contest.
Tszyu and his supporters attributed the loss to a cut he sustained. However, his vision appeared unimpaired throughout the fight, suggesting a lack of sufficient skill to secure the win.
Some fans voiced concerns regarding the rematch, arguing that Tszyu’s 1-2 record in his recent fights did not justify a title opportunity against Fundora. They contended that title shots should be earned through merit rather than granted based on a fighter’s popularity in their country. Tszyu’s recent performance record made him an arguably undeserving contender for a world title.
