Barrios holds off battling Pacquiao to retain WBC welterweight crown in Las Vegas
Mario Barrios pushed all the way in Las Vegas, manages to salvage majority draw in fight against Filipino icon
Mario Barrios held off a battling Manny Pacquiao to retain his WBC world welterweight crown with a fight ruled a majority draw in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Barrios, 30, held onto his belt despite being dominated for several rounds by 46-year-old Filipino icon Pacquiao, returning to the ring for the first time after a four-year retirement.
Barrios was awarded the fight 115-113 by one judge, with the other two cards scoring it 114-114.
The result drew a subdued reaction from the MGM Grand Garden Arena crowd, who had roared on Pacquiao as he attempted to make a spectacular return to boxing.
At times, it seemed as if Pacquiao was poised to write another improbable chapter in his 30-year professional career as he used all of his guile and experience to frustrate Barrios.
But Barrios rallied furiously over the final three – he was deemed the winner of those rounds on all three cards – to do just enough to force a result that sees him retain his title.