Manny Pacquiao’s bid to become the oldest welterweight champion in boxing history fell short Saturday night as he failed to beat Mario Barrios at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

But he didn’t lose, either.

Instead, the 46-year-old Pacquiao and the 30-year-old Barrios fought to a majority draw, with one judge giving Barrios a 115-113 win and the other two judges scoring it a 114-114 draw.

The result allowed Barrios (29-2-2, 18 KOs) to retain his WBC welterweight belt.

“I thought I won the fight,” Pacquiao said afterward. “I mean, it was a close fight. My opponent was very tough. It was a wonderful fight. It was good.”

Pacquiao (62-8-3, 39 KOs) already holds the record for oldest welterweight champion, winning the belt via split-decision over Keith Thurman in 2019. The Filipino legend was enshrined into the International Boxing Hall of Fame last month.

Pacquiao dominated Saturday’s fight early on, showing energy against his younger foe.

Ultimately, though, CompuBox stats had Barrios landing more punches (120-101) and more jabs (45-20), though Pacquiao landed 81 power punches to Barrios’ 75.

Pacquiao held the lead on all three cards after 10 rounds, but Barrios took all three rounds on all three scorecards to avoid the upset. Age and stamina were definitely on Pacquiao’s mind after the fight.

“I need to continue my training for longer going into a championship fight,” said Pacquiao, who lost his senatorial bid in the Philippines in May. “Because of the election, I started late, but it’s OK. Of course I’d like a rematch. I want to leave a legacy and make the Filipino people proud.”

Don’t tell that to Barrios.

“His stamina is crazy,” the champion said. “He’s still strong as hell and his timing is real. He’s still a very awkward fighter to try to figure out.”

As for a rematch, Barrios is ready.

“I’ll do the rematch. Absolutely. This was huge for boxing. I’d love to do it again.”

-Reuters

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Oleksandr Usyk reaffirmed his status as boxing’s undisputed heavyweight world champion on Saturday night with a devastating fifth-round knockout of Britain’s Daniel Dubois in front of a roaring crowd at Wembley Stadium.

In a clinical and composed performance, the Ukrainian maestro floored Dubois with a thunderous overhand right, then followed up with a crushing left hook to seal the win and reclaim the IBF belt he had vacated last year.

 Oleksandr Usyk v Daniel Dubois – Undisputed World Heavyweight Title – BoxPark Wembley, London, Britain – July 19, 2025 Oleksandr Usyk in action against Daniel Dubois Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

Usyk’s victory settles the score after a controversial first bout in 2023, where Dubois was ruled to have landed a low blow that gave Usyk time to recover before securing a ninth-round stoppage. This time, there was no controversy—only brilliance.

“It’s enough. Next? I don’t know,” a jubilant but emotional Usyk said after the fight. “I want to rest. My family, my wife, my children—I want to rest now. Two or three months, I want to just rest. But 38 is a young guy, remember! It’s only the start!”

The victory marks Usyk’s eighth triumph over a British opponent, extending a remarkable run that includes two wins over Anthony Joshua, two against Tyson Fury, and previous victories over Tony Bellew and Derek Chisora before dispatching Dubois in back-to-back fights.

Despite coming in at a career-heaviest 227.3 pounds, Usyk glided around the ring with trademark agility and precision. His technical superiority was evident from the opening bell as he evaded Dubois’ power punches with poise and punished him with pinpoint jabs and counterattacks.

Dubois, who had since claimed the IBF title and defended it against Anthony Joshua last September, struggled to impose his physicality. Usyk neutralized the Briton’s size advantage with movement, ring IQ, and sharp timing.

Though competitive early, the bout turned brutal in the fifth round. Usyk’s overhand right sent Dubois sprawling to the canvas. When the Briton managed to beat the count, a thunderous left hand to the chin moments later left the referee no choice but to wave it off.

With the win, Usyk once again sits atop the heavyweight division as the unified champion, having held all major belts across two weight classes in his illustrious career.

For now, the warrior from Ukraine is taking a well-earned pause.

“I want to say thank you to Jesus Christ. I want to say thank you to my team and Wembley—thank you so much! This is for the people,” he said.

While Usyk has hinted at taking time off, fans and pundits alike will be eager to see what lies ahead—whether it’s another mega-fight or the final chapter in a legacy already etched in boxing history.

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U.S. immigration authorities have arrested Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in Los Angeles and plan to deport him, they said on Thursday, just days after he lost a high-profile bout to American rival Jake Paul.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Chavez was determined to be in the country illegally last week after he made fraudulent statements on a 2024 application for permanent residence. He is married to a U.S. citizen, it said.

Michael Goldstein, a lawyer for Chavez, said more than two dozen immigration agents arrested the boxer at his home in the Studio City area of Los Angeles on Wednesday.

“The current allegations are outrageous and appear to be designed as a headline to terrorize the community,” Goldstein said.

Homeland Security said that the 39-year-old boxer, son of Mexican world champion fighter Julio Cesar Chavez, is suspected of ties to Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel, which Washington has designated a foreign terrorist organization.

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. speaks at press conference in anticipation of his fight against Jake Paul at Avalon Hollywood Theater. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images/File Photo

His wife, Frida Munoz Chavez, was previously married to the son of former Sinaloa cartel leader Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who is serving a life sentence in a U.S. prison. The son, Edgar, was assassinated in 2008.

Chavez is the target of a Mexican arrest warrant on allegations of involvement in organized crime and firearms trafficking, DHS said.

In Mexico, Chavez’ family said in a statement they “fully trust in his innocence.”

Chavez lost to influencer-turned-boxer Paul, 28, last weekend before a sold-out crowd in Anaheim, California, in a unanimous decision after 10 rounds.

He was allowed to enter the United States temporarily in early January under former President Joe Biden, DHS said. He had previously overstayed a tourist visa, it said.

The agency said Chavez was convicted in Los Angeles in 2024 on weapons charges. Goldstein denied he was convicted, saying he pleaded not guilty and was granted mental health diversion which will result in dismissal of the charges.

Chavez won the WBC middleweight championship in 2011, but lost the title the next year.

His career has been overshadowed by controversies including a suspension after testing positive for a banned substance in 2009 and a fine and suspension after testing positive for marijuana in 2013.

His record stands at 54 wins, six losses and one draw, with 34 knockouts.

Reporting by Brendan O’Brien and Bhargav Acharya, Lizbeth Diaz, Angelica Medina, Diego Ore and Kylie Madry in Mexico City, Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Bill Berkrot

-Reuters

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