Amir Khan shares concerns over Manny Pacquiao’s proposed return to the ring and reveals why his mega-fight with the Filipino legend collapsed

Boxing icon Amir Khan has expressed surprise and concern over Manny Pacquiao’s decision to return to the professional ring against reigning WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios — warning that the Filipino legend is ‘one punch away from getting hurt’ at age 46.

Speaking to Mail Sport in Saudi Arabia, Khan weighed in on Pacquiao’s much-anticipated comeback after four years away from the sport, calling the proposed July showdown against Barrios ‘a good fight,’ but also highlighting serious risks given Pacquiao’s age and recent performances.

‘I mean, it shocked me a little bit,’ Khan admitted. ‘I know Barrios really well — he’s still young, he still has that fire in his belly, and he will give him big problems. Barrios has been looking really good in his last couple of fights, whereas Manny obviously lost his last fight.’

Pacquiao last stepped into a professional ring in 2021, when he was outpointed by Yordenis Ugas. Since then, he has participated in exhibition bouts, including a disappointing showing against Japanese kickboxer Rukiya Anpo last July, where his 46 years were visibly apparent as he struggled to match the pace.

Barrios, by contrast, has remained active and hungry, fighting five times since Pacquiao’s last professional bout. The 29-year-old Mexican-American claimed the WBC interim title in 2023 by defeating Ugas and was elevated to full champion shortly afterward.

Most recently, he retained his belt in a split draw against Abel Ramos on the Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson undercard.

Despite the odds, Pacquiao, who won his first world title at flyweight 25 years ago, insists he still has something left to offer the sport.

‘I want to go out making history,’ Pacquiao told ESPN, citing his landmark victory over Keith Thurman at age 40 as proof he can still compete with elite fighters.

Khan, however, urged caution.

‘Why does Manny need to come back?’ he said. ‘We both retired around the same time. At least I’ve got the age on my side. With Manny, I think he’s way past that age where we don’t want him to get hurt. He’s always one punch away from getting hurt. He’s only getting older. I’m sure he’s nearly touching 45 or something’.

When told Pacquiao was actually 46, Khan said: ‘Wow. So almost 50. Older than I thought. So even more to the point.’

Khan went on to add: ‘I’m sure he wants to become a world champion. And yeah, looking at him and looking at styles — styles make fights — he has a good chance of winning. But like I said, he’s always one punch away from getting hurt. So doesn’t he want to just enjoy himself now? He had a hard career all his life. Why not sit back and relax?’

Khan also opened up about his own unfulfilled plans to face Pacquiao in the ring — a mega-fight that had long been teased but ultimately never materialised.

‘It just really didn’t kick off,’ Khan explained. ‘I don’t know — I just didn’t hear anything back. Manny didn’t hear anything back from the investors.’

He revealed that although there was serious interest and discussions with potential backers, the financial support never fully came together. 

‘There were a few investors that were in to make the fight, that were interested. But when we didn’t see the funds, we thought we’d leave it. Because at the end of the day, look, we’re prize fighters, but we want to make sure that the people putting the money down are 100 per cent legit.’

‘If it’s someone like Eddie Hearn, Frank Warren, Bob Arum, or Oscar [De La Hoya] — you know what’s going to happen. But if it’s a third party who hasn’t done a show before and wants to put the money down, I was just a little bit reluctant to move forward with that.’

The collapse of the potential bout was a disappointment to fans who had long hoped to see the two face off in a battle of former champions. The two fighters shared a similar trajectory in many ways, both starting as teenage prodigies and both capturing world titles in multiple divisions before retiring around the same period.

Though Pacquiao is now set for another title fight, Khan was more hesitant when asked about his own future in boxing. The Bolton native, who last fought in 2022, admitted that while he occasionally feels ‘the itch’ to return, he’s unsure if he still has the hunger for the grueling demands of elite-level preparation.

‘I’ve been out the game for three years now. You do get the itch, but I don’t know if I have it in me, you know?’

Khan suggested the only way he could truly decide is by stepping back into training camp — even for a short stint — to assess whether he still possesses the mindset of a contender.

‘The only way I’ll find out is if I go into a mini camp. If I go into a mini camp and then realise — do I still have that in me? I’ll know. I’m sure I’ll know in a week, or maybe a month, really. The first weeks are always hard, first two weeks. But I don’t know if I have the fire in me to go back in that gym and train hard again like a challenger.’

‘When you can’t train like a challenger, and you can’t put the work in — or you don’t have the heart, the fire in the belly — there’s no point training. Because you only get hurt.’

As Manny Pacquiao prepares for what could be one final chapter in a legendary career — one that has seen him win titles in eight weight classes and captivate fans around the globe — questions remain about what drives him to continue. Is it legacy? Is it pride? Or is it the indelible pull that boxing exerts on those who reach its highest peaks?

For Khan, the answer lies in knowing when to walk away.

‘If he was 10 years younger, then it’s different,’ he said. ‘But I don’t know.’