Boxing

Shane Mosley Reveals 'Problem' Manny Pacquiao Must Depend On vs Mario Barrios

"Sugar" Shane Mosley didn't mince words about the upcoming Manny Pacquiao vs Mario Barrios fight.
Grant Young|
"Sugar" Shane Mosley during a May 24, 2023 charity event
"Sugar" Shane Mosley during a May 24, 2023 charity event | IMAGO / Newscom / AdMedia

46-year-old Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao is slated to face reigning WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios on July 19, marking the first time in about four years that Pacquiao will be entering the ring for a professional bout.

The general sentiment within the boxing community is that Pacquiao doesn't have great chances against Barrios. In addition to his being 46 years old, Pacquiao hasn't looked like the best version of himself in a long time. And since Barrios is in his prime right now (not to mention has a considerable size advantage), many are predicting it will be a long and unsuccessful night for Pacquiao.

One boxing icon who knows a lot about Pacquiao's capabilities in the ring is "Sugar" Shane Mosley, as these two faced off on May 7, 2011, for the WBO welterweight championship. Pacquiao (who was 32 years old at the time of this fight) ultimately defeated Mosley (who was 39) via a unanimous decision that was completely one-sided.

But it's clear that Mosley holds no ill will toward Pacquiao, as he recently made an appearance at his training camp ahead of the July 19 Barrios fight.

And during a June 16 interview with FightHype, Mosley detailed where Pacquiao can find success against Barrios in this upcoming bout.

"[Pacquiao winning by knockout] is possible because if [Barrios] is standing in front of him, and Manny is able to not have to chase him, and he's just right there, it can be a problem [for Barrios]," Mosley said.

He then added that he knows from experience that standing in front of Pacquiao and trading punches is a "bad mistake".

Given that Pacquiao's best chance at winning this fight is likely by utilizing a potential power advantage against Barrios, Barrios is probably already busy crafting a game plan that will keep him from standing in front of the 46-year-old for too long.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young is a Staff Writer for On SI’s Boxing, New York Mets, Indiana Fever, and Women’s Fastbreak sites. Before joining SI in 2024, he wrote for various boxing and sports verticals such as FanBuzz and NY Fights. Young has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s degree in creative writing with an emphasis on sports nonfiction from the University of San Francisco, where he played five seasons of Division 1 baseball. He fought Muay Thai professionally in Thailand in 2023, loves a good essay, and is driven crazy trying to handle a pitpull puppy named Aura. Young lives in San Diego and was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.