Manny Pacquiao is closing in on a return to boxing and hopes to fight two or three more times before hanging up his gloves once and for all.
The Filipino legend, who will be inducted into the hall of fame next month as boxing’s only eight-division champion, has an agreement to challenge Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title in Las Vegas on July 19.
It is understood terms were agreed following face-to-face talks between Pacquiao, representatives of Barrios and promoters Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) in the Philippines last week.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman gave the bout his blessing while attending the Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez-William Scull event in Saudi Arabia at the weekend, describing it as a “great fight”.
The T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas has been lined up as a venue, but Pacquiao wants to wait until after the coming elections in his homeland before making a final decision and announcing his plans.
The 46-year-old, who has not fought since defeat to Yordenis Ugas in August 2021, is in a tight race for a seat in the Senate of the Philippines, with voters going to the polls on May 12.
“Manny feels good and that he still has it in him to compete at that level. He feels he can still fight two or three more times, this year, next year and maybe even into 2027,” a source close to Pacquiao told The National.
It is understood Pacquiao is already in training and is not fazed by the short turnaround between the elections and a potential July 19 bout.
He insists he needs only a 30-day camp and sparring to be ready and would travel to the US and reunite with long-time trainer Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.
A bout against Barrios has been discussed for some time and Pacquiao had been keen to bring it to the UAE.
He considers Dubai his second home, possesses a golden visa and held talks with Abu Dhabi Sports Council about staging the Barrios fight in the UAE capital.
Last November, he put on a show for thousands of fans at Global Village before returning to take in the New Year celebrations at Burj Khalifa. He has numerous business dealings in the UAE and plans to open both a boxing museum and academy in Dubai.
“We are working right now, probably after this week we can finalise everything for the fight here in Abu Dhabi,” Pacquiao told The National, in January.
“We are still negotiating. We were planning to fight in the United States in July, but why not here? Bring [Barrios] here. It's going to be the third week of July in Abu Dhabi for a world championship. We have had talks with his promoter.”
As Pacquiao revealed then, the fight is indeed slated for the third week of July, but the venue will be in Las Vegas with the PBC eager to stage the event stateside.
Should he return to the ring for the first time since 2021 then it would take his record-breaking career into a 30th year having debuted, aged 16, back in 1995.
Pacquiao is the holder of several world records, including being the only boxer to lift a world title in four different decades. He previously served as a senator of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022.
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKinetic%207%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rick%20Parish%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Clean%20cooking%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self-funded%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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Indian origin executives leading top technology firms
Sundar Pichai
Chief executive, Google and Alphabet
Satya Nadella
Chief executive, Microsoft
Ajaypal Singh Banga
President and chief executive, Mastercard
Shantanu Narayen
Chief executive, chairman, and president, Adobe
Indra Nooyi
Board of directors, Amazon and former chief executive, PepsiCo
UAE SQUAD
Khalid Essa, Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Adel Al Hosani, Bandar Al Ahbabi, Mohammad Barghash, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Hassan Al Mahrami, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Yousef Jaber, Majed Sorour, Majed Hassan, Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Abdullah Al Naqbi, Khalil Al Hammadi, Fabio De Lima, Khalfan Mubarak, Tahnoon Al Zaabi, Ali Saleh, Caio Canedo, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue, Zayed Al Ameri
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Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The Bio
Favourite place in UAE: Al Rams pearling village
What one book should everyone read: Any book written before electricity was invented. When a writer willingly worked under candlelight, you know he/she had a real passion for their craft
Your favourite type of pearl: All of them. No pearl looks the same and each carries its own unique characteristics, like humans
Best time to swim in the sea: When there is enough light to see beneath the surface
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
