On July 19, live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV, International Boxing Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao (62-8-2, 39 KOs) will look to make history as he faces WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios (29-2-1, 18 KOs) live on PPV.
With so much on the line, FightsATW checked in with MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons as he gets into how the fight was made, keeping Pacquiao from doing too much, and how different Pacquiao is from other legends who’ve attempted to make a comeback.
“Just Living The Dream Baby”
It was late June when I drove up to the Pacquiao media workout held at the Wild Card Boxing Gym in Los Angeles, CA. It was there where I saw the 46-year-old Pacquiao working the mitts with his team, and things felt nostalgic as he looks to turn back the clock for his big title fight on Saturday.
Afterwards, there was an opportunity to speak to Gibbons, who runs Pacquiao’s promotional company and advises him in just about everything. When I greeted Gibbons, the first thing he said was “Just living the dream baby. I’ve been blessed.” The 58-year-old executive and advisor Gibbons from Oklahoma City, OK, was his usual chipper self and was ready to answer any and all questions about Pacquiao and his quest to once again become a world champion.
At the top of the list was the origin story of Pacquiao vs. Barrios. We live in an era where transparency is king, and fans like to know more about how the “sausage is made” than just the information fed from press releases and media events. When asked, Gibbons knew that fans would be interested in the back story, so he focused in, answering clearly and confidently.
“After he lost his run for President (of the Philippines), he (Pacquiao) was always looking for a fight, which is why he did exhibitions in Japan and Korea,” Gibbons told FightsATW. “When Mario Barrios won the title, we felt that was the right fight. He wanted to box again, so I spoke to Al Haymon and Luis DeCubas and said that this was the guy that Manny Pacquiao wanted to fight. Mario Barrios, style-wise, is what Manny needs. A guy who comes to fight and is in front of you to hit. That’s how it all came together. It was that simple.”
The Tug of War Between Mental Desires & The Reality of Physical Limitations
When Pacquiao fought Rukiya Anpo at Super Rizin 3 last summer, much was made of his physical appearance and performance in the ring. It’s the reason why Pacquiao isn’t being given much of a chance against Barrios, but from the outside looking in, it doesn’t appear that last year’s version of Pacquiao is in training camp, at least not physically. Instead of having the dad-bod physique from last summer, Pacquiao was seen with a six-pack and shredded, resembling a version of him we hadn’t seen since his last pro fight.
But in June, when speaking to Gibbons, the plan was calculated from the start, and it meant keeping Pacquiao from his worst enemy throughout training camp: himself. Pacquiao admitted to FightsATW that in his mind, he could do all the things he used to be able to do, but that his team was strict in ensuring he paced himself and implemented recovery as part of his training regimen.
“That’s Manny Pacquiao,” said Gibbons concerning Pacquiao’s comments about training. “No one works harder than Manny Pacquiao. The first week, jetlag kicked in and all that. As he continued through training camp, he began the Emanuel Steward plan: work hard on Monday and Tuesday, then take Wednesday off. At his age, recovery is everything. Then you hit it again on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Wednesdays were never a big day anyway.
“He’ll run in the morning, and then he’ll relax the rest of the day. It’s a nice balance from what he needs. This is not Mike Tyson, where he’ll hit the pads for 30 seconds and then take a rest. The guy is sparring eight rounds, working 2-3 hours, running and doing everything Manny Pacquiao did at 40 and 42.”
Will Father Time Take An L?
All of the pictures and videos taken of Pacquiao point towards a throwback performance, but all of that won’t matter until the bell sounds to begin the fight on July 19. We’ve seen it time and time again, where fighters suddenly age overnight, and Pacquiao already had one of those nights against Yordenis Ugas almost four years ago. Four years can do a lot for your body, but it can also affect timing and reflexes, especially for someone of Pacquiao’s age. Regardless, the intrigue is there, and it’ll have fans worldwide tuning in on PPV.
Gibbons knows this, and it’s why towards the end of our conversation, he said, “Everything is Manny Pacquiao. All that is left is that the bell has to ring, and Father Time is your biggest enemy.” Can Pacquiao do it one more time, or will Barrios be the fighter that sends Pacquiao back to retirement, but this time for good? We are only days away from finding out.
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