Pacquiao vs. Barrios Best Bets for July 19: One More Prediction Before the Big Fight!
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David Manyun
- July 17, 2025
Boxing Pick: Mario Barrios ML (-225) [2.25u returns 1u profit] at Bovada (visit our Bovada Review)
Nostalgia will be pulsating through the veins of pugilist purists this coming weekend, as Manny Pacquiao, one of the sport’s most accomplished and decorated athletes, returns from retirement to fight Mario Barrios for the WBC World Welterweight Title.
Does the old dog Pac-Man still have some fight left in him? Or are we looking at another Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson situation?
Find out my thoughts and boxing predictions, as we preview Barrios vs. Pacquiao from a betting perspective, including updated boxing odds and our free expert boxing betting picks.
Manny Pacquiao vs. Mario Barrios
Event Info
- When: Saturday, July 19, 2025 – 08:00 PM ET
- Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas
- Scheduled Bouts: 11
- Main Event: Mario Barrios vs. Manny Pacquiao
- Co-Main Event: Sebastian Fundora vs. Tim Tszyu
- Moneyline Probability: Barrios – 20.4% (-185) Pacquiao – 82% (+159)
Barrios vs. Pacquiao: The Tale of The Tape
Barrios vs. Pacquiao Preview & Fight Analysis
He’s an eight-division world champion, a legend in the sport of boxing who’s accomplished what most will never. However, I’m still struggling to get behind the return of Manny Pacquiao, especially when this return to the professional landscape involves a sanctioned WBC world-title bout with Mario Barrios.
At 46, Pacquiao is well beyond his prime, and his name value is certainly drawing a lot of attention. This, however, isn’t enough to warrant his return to championship boxing, as it’s been six years since his last pro victory, with horrid performances in exhibition bouts proving that his skills just aren’t the same as they once were.
Just take Pac-Man’s exhibition bout with Rukiya Anpo as a prime example… The MMA fighter from Japan was making his boxing debut, yet Pacquiao just looked slow with zero sharpness and God-awful timing.
Can Pacquiao Shock the World and Defeat Barrios?
Simply put, no, he cannot. I hate to make the comparison because the age gap isn’t quite as large, but look how slow and stiff Mike Tyson looked against an inexperienced YouTuber in Jake Paul… Barrios isn’t Paul. Barrios is huge, and while he isn’t the star of the welterweight class, he’s going to give Pacquiao a harsh reminder as to why you can’t just waltz straight back into title contention in your mid-forties without paying some consequences.
The sad truth is, Pacquiao isn’t going to look better than he did six years ago. In fact, there’s only one probable outcome: he could look a lot worse! He wasn’t capable then, he certainly won’t be capable now, so we can expect Barrios to put in the more proficient, efficient, and damaging work across twelve rounds – should it even last that long!
How to Bet on Pacquiao vs. Barrios
Approaching the fight from a prop betting perspective has been the most challenging aspect of the situation. I do not doubt that Barrios wins this contest, but it’s just a matter of whether he will find the stoppage. We can count Pacquiao out due to his age and recent outings, but that legendary chin of his could still be intact.
With that said, the available odds are fair, and I see some serious value in the moneyline priced offered by Bovada (-225). This low number doesn’t represent where Pac-Man is at in his life, and while there’s never a guarantee inside the ring, Barrios’ moneyline would instantly spring to mind if I were asked for a confident outcome this weekend.
Boxing Pick: Mario Barrios ML (-225) [2.25u returns 1u profit] at Bovada
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
