“Manny Pacquiao brought pride and unity to the nation despite the draw.”

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Sunday hailed boxing icon Manny Pacquiao for uniting and inspiring the nation following his comeback bout against WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios, which ended in a majority draw on Sunday in Las Vegas.

“The Filipinos won! It ended in a draw, but make no mistake, Manny Pacquiao gave us something far greater than a win —pride and unity,” Marcos said in a statement.

Pacquiao, 46, stood toe-to-toe with the younger and bigger Barrios in a 12-round battle.

One judge gave Barrios a narrow 115-113 edge, while the two others scored it 114-114.

“At 46, up against a younger and bigger opponent, he reminded the world that the Filipino spirit never backs down,” the President said.

Pacquiao, boxing’s only eight-division world champion and former senator, had not fought professionally since 2021.

The match reignited national interest in the sport and drew global attention to his storied legacy.

“Thank you, People’s Champ. We’ll be ready when that rematch comes,” Marcos said.