Pacquiao and Barrios Make Weight: Final Hurdle Cleared for Blockbuster Saturday Night
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 19 Jul 2025
The anticipation for Manny Pacquiao's grand return to the boxing ring reached a fever pitch today, Friday, July 18, (Saturday, July 19 in Manila) as he and WBC Welterweight Champion Mario Barrios both successfully made weight for their championship clash. The official weigh-in, held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, served as the final public face-off before they step into the ring tomorrow night, Saturday, July 19th.
Manny Pacquiao (68-8-2, 39 KOs), looking remarkably conditioned and sharp for 46 years old, effortlessly tipped the scales at 146.8 pounds, comfortably under the welterweight limit. His opponent, the reigning champion Mario Barrios (29-2-1, 18 KOs), showcased his own readiness by coming in at a lean 146.2 pounds. The staredown between the two fighters was intense, filled with focused determination from both sides, signaling their readiness for battle.
The successful weigh-in for both main event participants removes any last-minute weight concerns, ensuring that the highly anticipated championship bout will proceed as planned. Pacquiao's disciplined appearance on the scales is a testament to his commitment, especially given his age and time away from professional competition.
The undercard fighters also performed flawlessly at the weigh-ins, promising a full night of compelling action leading up to the main event:
Undisputed Junior Middleweight Championship:
In the highly anticipated co-main event rematch, WBC champion Sebastian Fundora (22-1-1, 14 KOs) weighed in at 152.6 pounds. His formidable challenger, Tim Tszyu (25-2, 18 KOs), looking to reclaim his titles, registered 153.2 pounds. Their second encounter is poised to be as thrilling and perhaps even more decisive than their first.
Lightweight Showdown:
The hard-hitting "Pitbull" Isaac Cruz (27-3-1, 18 KOs) looked ready at 138.8 pounds, while his opponent Omar Salcido (20-2, 14 KOs) also successfully made weight at 139.4 pounds for their 10-round junior welterweight contest.
Featherweight Firefight:
Two aggressive and exciting featherweights, Brandon Figueroa (25-2-1, 19 KOs) and Joet Gonzalez (27-4, 15 KOs), both hit the mark precisely, weighing in at 126 pounds and 125 pounds respectively. Their 12-round clash is expected to be a non-stop action affair.
Prime Video Undercard Kicks Off Early Action:
The earlier portion of the card, set to stream live on Prime Video, also saw all fighters successfully weigh in:
Gary Russell Jr. (31-2, 18 KOs) came in at 131.6 pounds for his lightweight bout against Hugo Castaneda (15-2-1, 11 KOs), who weighed 135.8 pounds.
In a featherweight contest, David Picasso (31-0-1, 17 KOs) was 125.8 pounds, facing Kyonosuke Kameda (15-4-2, 9 KOs) at 126 pounds.
Filipino contender Mark Magsayo (27-2, 18 KOs) successfully made 129 pounds for his junior lightweight contest against Jorge Mata (21-2-2, 13 KOs), who also weighed 129 pounds.
With the weigh-ins complete and all combatants hitting their marks, the stage is now perfectly set for a night of explosive boxing action at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. All eyes will be on Manny Pacquiao tomorrow as he attempts to defy the odds and add another historic chapter to his legendary career.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
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