LAS VEGAS–Manny Pacquiao felt he did enough for a triumphant ring return four years after retirement.

To his defense, the fight could’ve gone either way. Unfortunately for Pacquiao, it was Mario Barrios who got the nod. Barely.

LIVE: Manny Pacquiao vs Mario Barrios – WBC welterweight title fight

Barrios retained the WBC welterweight belt by majority decision for the second consecutive time Saturday night before a raucous crowd at MGM Grand Arena here.

“I thought I won the fight. It was a close fight,” Pacquiao, boxing’s only eight-division champion, said after one judge scored the bout 115-113 for Barrios while the other two had it 114-114.

Manny Pacquiao, left, fights Mario Barrios in a welterweight title boxing match Saturday, July 19, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Pacquiao, at 46 years young, had a better performance against Barrios than when he lost by unanimous decision to Yordenis Ugas in 2021.

“I was more tactical in this fight than my last time fighting. I needed to be more active and throw more punches, because that’s my style,” said Pacquiao.

READ: Manny Pacquiao, Mario Barrios open for rematch after close duel

Still, it wasn’t enough against a game Barrios, who stuck to his game plan by using his distance and utilizing a potent jab that caught Pacquiao off guard several times throughout the bout.

Despite the outcome, Pacquiao showed he still has a lot left in the tank despite his advanced age of 46 and heavy mileage from all the fighting since turning pro three decades ago.

Pacquiao, always gracious in defeat, commended Barrios.

“He was very tough,” admitted Pacquiao, whose record now stands at 62-8-3 with 39 knockouts.

“I had to find a way to finish the fight better but my opponent is so tough. He threw a lot of good combinations and had defense. It was a tough fight.”