The Return of Pacquiao – Is Four Years Too Long of a Break for a Boxer of Any Calibre?
The 46-year-old Filipino men’s professional boxer Manny Pacquiao recently returned to the ring after a four-year hiatus to fight WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios. Most sports betting sites had Barrios as the clear odds-on favourite to win the bout outright.
The former Senator of the Philippines, who once famously fought Floyd Mayweather Jr., was held to a majority draw by 30-year-old Barrios on July 19, 2025, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The question being asked here is, is four years too long of a break for a boxer of any calibre? Let’s dive straight in to find out.
What happened at the Pacquiao-Barrios fight in Nevada?
Although the Filipino boxing icon was hoping to become the sport’s oldest welterweight world champion, it wasn’t to be. The slugfest against Barrios ended in a draw, which even led to boos being heard in the crowd. The boos weren’t aimed at the judges, not the boxers.
Although two of the judges scored 114-114, one judge scored 115-113 in favour of Barrios, which meant that he retained his WBC strap. Despite the fight ending in a draw, and having spent four years away from the ring, Pacquiao put on an impressive performance.
After the fight, Barrios praised his opponent and said that he still had power and timing. He was asked if a rematch could ever be on the cards, to which Barrios responded, “Of course.”
Pacquiao, aka Pacman, also got his fans excited by saying that he fully intends to fight again in the future, meaning a Pacquiao-Barrios 2 bout will almost certainly take place.
Is a four-year hiatus too long for a boxer of any calibre?
According to Manny Pacquiao, no, a four-year hiatus from the ring isn’t too long.
However, according to many others, a long break like this isn’t advised. If the boxer doesn’t have any professional fights, but carries on training as usual during that time, then it might be possible for that boxer to carry on where they left off.
Most experts suggest a break of a few months to a year at most before stepping back in the ring. Any longer than this can be detrimental to a boxer’s performance because of a decline in physical condition.
Speed and power would significantly decline, and a loss of timing and coordination (known as ring rust) could diminish their ability to perform well in the ring like they used to. A long break can also affect their mental state, making them less sharp and less confident in the ring.
Final thoughts
The exact amount of time a boxer should have lengthy rest periods before returning to the ring varies. It depends on the individual’s needs, specific goals, training needs, weight division, how many fights they have had, whether they are amateur or professional, at which point of their career they are, and so on.
Pacquiao seems to have defied the odds by performing so well after such a long break, so it will be interesting to see who comes out on top next if he does go on to fight Barrios in a rematch. We will just have to wait and see.
