Fight fans have a memorable weekend of action ahead with a list of high-profile fights in London and the United States.

All the talk this week has focused on the mouth-watering heavyweight unification bout at Wembley Stadium in London, featuring Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois. Who will win and become the number one fighter in the world? We preview the main event and the best of the undercard at talkSPORT.

On this page, we’re going stateside for the return of boxing royalty as Manny Pacquiao aims to add another world championship belt to his already stunning list of achievements.

The Filipino puncher returns from four years in retirement to fight Mario Barrios for the WBC world welterweight title.

The stunning MGM Grand, Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, provides the backdrop, and fans are confident that Barrios vs. Pacquiao will live up to the hype.

Will the current champion defeat the returning legend, sending him back into retirement, reminding fighters of the dangers of coming back? Will PacMan pull off another incredible win to show just why he’s a boxing treasure?

Former professional fighter and boxing betting writer Frankie Monkhouse previews El Azteca vs PacMan, offering his big-fight preview and expert predictions. Keep reading as we dive into the thick of Saturday evening’s action.

Barrios vs Pacquiao odds

Manny Pacquiao is the fans’ favourite and the main attraction on Saturday in Vegas. But he’s also been on the sidelines for an extended period and enters the ring as a 46-year-old. How much does he have left in the tank?

It’s obvious he won’t be at his best, but even 75% of a prime Pac would be enough to beat most active welterweights in the game today. The fighter and his team wouldn’t be here unless they believed they could put on a show and win the title. But they’ve not picked an easy opponent for the comeback, and there was no warm-up.

Mario Barrios is a world champion on merit and will be happy to face a huge name in Manny, but will also welcome defending his title against an opponent in his late 40s who is past his best. How much is he past his best?

We’ll need to wait and see, but Team Barrios enters with confidence and is determined to spoil the party on fight night. Getting a chance to add a win over Pacquiao to his CV must feel like a gift from the boxing gods, but he won’t be taking his ageing opponent lightly. 

When this fight was announced, I was intrigued by how the traders would price it, and I wasn’t disappointed. It makes for fascinating reading and gives bettors a chance to make a healthy profit while enjoying the show.

• Mario Barrios to win at 4/11 with Betfred
• Draw at 16/1 with Betfred
• Manny Pacquiao to win at 23/10 with Betfred

Odds provided by Betfred, which are correct at the time of writing, but please remember boxing betting prices can and often do change approaching the first bell.

Barrios vs Pacquiao outcome odds

As mentioned, predicting which fighter will win on Saturday is the simplest way to gamble, giving you a one-in-three chance of making a profit with your pick working against the opponent and the draw.

However, it’s not the only option available to fans seeking to profit from Pacquiao’s return to action. The leading bookmakers, including Betfred and bet365, offer a long list of specials, and you can predict the total number of rounds, the winning round, round group betting, to win inside 60 seconds, and more. 

One market that always catches my eye when previewing big-time boxing is the method of victory. With this approach, you’re tasked with predicting the name of the winner and how they’ll claim victory: on points or by knockout.

Landing a method of victory winner is more challenging than predicting the champion, but the odds are often worth winning. In my experience covering and betting on boxing, I’ve found the more you research a bout, the more likely you are to call the method of victory. Here are the latest odds.

• Mario Barrios to win by KO/TKO at 13/10 with Betfred
• Mario Barrios to win on points at 27/10 with Betfred
• Manny Pacquiao to win by KO/TKO at 9/2 with Betfred
• Manny Pacquiao to win on points at 5/1 with Betfred

The odds above show that Barrios to win by stoppage is the most likely outcome, according to the traders. That makes sense, but it doesn’t mean it’ll happen.

Odds provided by Betfred are correct at the time of writing, but are subject to change. The price available when we published our preview may differ from what you see when placing your weekend boxing bets.

El Azteca aiming to bounce back from a draw

Mario Barrios enters the ring with a professional boxing record showing 29 wins against two defeats and a draw. The 30-year-old from San Antonio, Texas, holds the WBC world welterweight title, but is ranked sixth in the United States and a lowly 16th in the world.

That suggests he won’t hold onto the strap for long before losing it to a higher-ranked opponent, but fans know El Azteca is improving with every bout, and the best is yet to come from him.

Barrios has lost to just two men, dropping a points decision to Keith Thurman in Las Vegas just eight months after he was stopped inside 11 rounds by Gervonta Davis. Mario was out of his league against Tank in Atlanta, sent to the canvas twice in round eight and again in round 11 before the fight was waved off by a referee who had seen enough. 

Since suffering back-to-back defeats, Barrios has fought four times, claiming three wins before fighting out a draw with Abel Ramos in Arlington last time. Three wins in his last six don’t inspire much confidence, but it’s easy to see why betting apps make him favourite.

Stats:

• Age: 30 years old
• Height: 6’0″
• Weight: Welterweight
• Record: 29-2-1

Pac is back for more

Manny Pacquiao is a fighter who needs no introduction. He has achieved it all and more in his career, winning several world titles across multiple weight classes and ranking as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in living memory.

He hopes to smash his own record by returning to win a world title. He’s the sport’s only eight-division world champion in history, racking up a dozen major titles during his stunning career. Will he add another major belt on Saturday?

The 46-year-old southpaw brings a CV showing 62 wins against eight defeats and two draws, beating 39 of his opponents inside the distance. He has been KO’d three times himself, most recently by Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012 when flattened by a perfectly-timed punch in Vegas.

Since that knockout, Pac has lost on points to Floyd Mayweather Jr., Jeff Horn, and, in his last appearance, to Yordenis Ugas in August 2021.

It was a huge surprise to see Pac back in action at this stage. He’s such an exciting boxer and has been a fantastic servant to the noble art over the years, gifting fight fans some memorable nights. Why is he coming back now? I’m not entirely sure, but there’s no doubt he comes to fight and to win.

Stats:

• Age: 46 years old
• Height: 5’5″
• Weight: Welterweight
• Record: 62-8-2

Barrios vs Pacquiao betting tips

Having studied the stats and identified the best betting odds, I’ll now reveal my predictions. As ever, I’ve gone with three pre-fight picks with a range of odds attached. I’ve ensured there’s something to suit every fight fan, bettor, and gambling budget.

You can follow my picks now or go against me, with dozens of markets available on the main event.

Fight to go the distance

Whatever happens on Saturday evening in Vegas, I don’t expect this bout to be over in a flash. Neither man will go on the attack from the opening bell, respecting the dangers posed by their opponents. 

Barrios will also want to stretch things out and take his famous opponent into the later rounds, checking how much he has left. After four years out of the ring, Pac-Man is unlikely to explode out of the traps. Back the fight to last the distance, and it doesn’t matter which man wins, as long as we hear the final bell.

Bet on the fight to go all 12 rounds at 21/20 with Betfred

Barrios to win

The odds offered on the champion defending his title aren’t the greatest, but they are fair and a little better than I expected to find. Yes, he lacks the hard-earned experience of his opponent, but he’s an active fighter and a world champion. He didn’t get there by accident or luck. Mario has grafted for everything.

Taking the favourite who has been busier, will likely be fitter and shaper, enjoys a height and reach advantage, makes perfect sense. You can back him as a single for a decent stake, or add Barrios to your weekend accumulators. That’s my plan.

Back Barrios to win at 4/11 with Betfred

Barrios to win on points

My third and final pick of the night sees us combine both previous selections, backing Mario Barrios to beat Manny Pacquiao in Vegas on a points decision. Yes, we’ll need a rub of the green to get this one across the line as a winner, but Barrios has the fitness and skills to beat an opponent with the scars of more than 70 bouts.

Fighters like Manny often get old overnight, and although they believe in their hearts they’ve still got enough to compete, as Pacquiao does, they usually come unstuck.

Nothing can prepare a fighter for being in the ring with a live opponent and a world champion, no less. Pac-Man will be fit, fast, and accurate, but he won’t have the stamina for a 12-round war.

Back Barrios to win on points at 27/10 with Betfred

How to watch Barrios vs Pacquaio

• Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas, United States.
• Date and time: Saturday, 19th July, 2025.
• How to watch: Live on Amazon Prime.

Barrios vs Pacquiao full card

• Mario Barrios v Manny Pacquiao – welterweight
• Sebastian Fundora v Tim Tszyu – super welterweight
• Isaac Cruz v Angel Fierro – super lightweight
• Brandon Figueroa v Joet Gonzalez – featherweight
• David Picasso v Kyonosuke Kameda – super bantamweight
• Mark Magsayo v Jorge Mata – lightweight
• Garry Allen Russell Jr v Hugo Alberto Costaneda Marroquin – super featherweight
• Abel Ramos v Jose Louis Sanchez – welterweight
• Omar Salcido Gamez v Brian Gallegos – super lightweight
• Eumir Felix Marcial v Bernard Joseph – middleweight 
• Juirsly Vargas v Sergio Aldana – super lightweight
• Joseph Brown v Aaron Watson – super welterweight

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