Pacman Future of Revitalized Pacquiao in the 2025 Welterweight Division
Editorial By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
On November 22, 2025, Brian Norman Jr. will defend his World Boxing Organization World Welterweight title against challenging Devin Haney in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis appeared headed upwards to the next 154-pound junior middleweight weight class, which would vacate his International Boxing Federation World Welterweight title.
With his comeback draw against World Boxing Council World Welterweight champion Mario Barrios, southpaw multi-division world champion Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao, 62-8-3 with 46 knockouts, General Santos Sur, Philippines, age 46, could fight any of the above names, or he could go in a different direction.
If the IBF title goes vacant by Ennis, Pacquiao could pursue that belt in a vacant world title bout. He could challenge World Boxing Association World Welterweight champion Rolando Romero. He could challenge IBO World Welterweight champion Tulani Mbenge of South Africa. He could go after Jack Catterall, Jim Sasaki, Karen Chudhadzhian, any of the lesser contender names, or Pacquiao could just go for a tune up comeback win of some sort next.
The rematch opponent Pacquiao mentions from time to time is Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather, 50-0 with 27 knockouts, Las Vegas, Nevada, inactive since 2017, since a rematch could top the 600 million dollars gate in their original May 2015 meeting. According to Pacquiao, regarding a Mayweather rematch, “Of course [I’d be interested]. He (Floyd has) been ducking (the proposed rematch). I don’t want an exhibition with Floyd. I want a real fight.”
The 2015 boxing match between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao generated revenue with estimates placing the total around $600 million. This revenue came from various sources: pay-per-view buys, live gate receipts, international broadcast sales, and sponsorships Floyd’s cut was 180 million dollars, while Pacquiao’s cut was 120 million dollars.
For the Barrios bout, Pacquiao, whose name recognition still has drawing power and pay-per-view value, was guaranteed a base purse of $12 million. His total earnings for fighting Barrios, including pay-per-view (PPV) shares and gate receipts, were estimated to rise to between 17 and 20 million. Barrios got a base purse somewhere between 500 thousand and one million dollars. Barrios total earnings, including a share of the PPV and gate revenue, were estimated to be around 2.5 million dollars for fighting Pacquiao.
Prior to the fight, Barrios was favored to win with odds around -275, while Pacquiao was the underdog at +210. Some betting sites had Barrios as a -280 favorite and Pacquiao at +210. If a rematch takes place, and it appears the chances are now good, Pacquiao’s stock will certainly rise on the better lines next time around, given his solid draw performance.
Pacquiao, thanks to trainer Freddie Roach, is back in top form. Floyd, exhibitions aside, is rusty. The key to Pacquiao’s desire for the Floyd rematch is this is a return match worth real money. While maybe not as much as before, the pay-per-view is in the nine figures (at least a hundred million dollars). Also, Manny was injured and not one hundred percent before this first meeting with Floyd. With both combatants at top form, the odds posted by the bookies could be close to even. Pacquiao, by virtue of his majority performance draw with Mario Barrios, in which two judges scored the bout even at 114-114, would have a much better chance in the rematch eight years later. Which is why one would expect Floyd to avoid such a rematch challenge with Pacquiao. In boxing, the theatre of the unexpected, one never knows, though.
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