<\/p>\n
PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Sunday expressed full support for Filipino boxing legend Manny \u201cPacman\u201d Pacquiao, who made a celebrated return to the ring and earned a majority draw against reigning WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The boxing match between Pacquiao and Barrios was hailed as a battle that defied age, exceeded expectations, and challenged the odds.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Before departing for his official visit to the United States, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. took to social media to rally the nation behind the People\u2019s Champ, calling the match \u201ca moment to witness the heart of a champion and the strength of a nation.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThe Philippines holds its breath as we come together once more, UNITED behind the People\u2019s Champ,\u201d the President added in his post.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fighting at age 46, Pacquiao went toe-to-toe with 30-year-old Barrios\u201416 years his junior\u2014at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. After 12 hard-fought rounds, the bout ended in a majority draw, with one judge scoring it 115\u2013113 for Barrios and two scoring it even at 114\u2013114, allowing the American to retain his WBC welterweight title.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Despite the long layoff and the significant age gap, Pacquiao stunned many with his signature speed, footwork, and grit\u2014hallmarks of a storied career that continues to inspire.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Barrios acknowledged Pacquiao\u2019s enduring prowess: \u201cI thought I pulled it out. But I still tip my hat to Manny. It was an honor to share the ring with him,\u201d he said, adding, \u201cHis stamina at 46 caught me off guard.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Pacquiao last fought professionally in August 2021 before announcing his retirement to focus on public service. He served as a senator from 2016 to 2022. He ran and lost in his presidential bid in the 2022 polls, and he lost again in the May 2025 senatorial elections.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Pacquiao\u2019s comeback nearly four years later was welcomed with excitement and deep national pride.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n President Marcos echoed the admiration of a nation that continues to stand firmly behind the People\u2019s Champ:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLaban, Manny! Dalangin ng bawat Pilipino ang iyong tagumpay,\u201d the President said.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Marcos administration sees Pacquiao\u2019s return not merely as a sporting milestone, but as a powerful reminder of the strength, resilience, and unity that define the Filipino spirit\u2014core to the Bagong Pilipinas vision.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n As Pacman stepped into the ring once more, Filipinos around the world stood united\u2014celebrating his legacy, cheering his courage, and honoring one of the greatest athletes the world has ever known.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Sunday expressed full support for Filipino boxing legend Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, who made a celebrated return to the ring<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15309,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5,17],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15308"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15308"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15308\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15310,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15308\/revisions\/15310"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15309"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15308"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15308"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15308"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}