As the cameras followed Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas filming the ‘Gloves Off’ documentary for Prime Video, the 46-year-old legend was seen singing a familiar tune:

“Forever young! I want to be … forever young!”
(The song from 1984 by Alphaville speaks to Pacquiao’s sentiment.)

Preparing for his return to boxing after a long hiatus, Pacquiao, a former eight-division champion, will face 30-year-old WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios in a Premier Boxing Champions pay-per-view event this weekend. Despite his age, he remains positive and energetic, chanting to himself, “Age is just a number. You can do it.”

Fans are eager to witness if Pacquiao can still capture the glory he once held dear, emphasizing this comeback is also a message to the youth:

“Even though I’m 46, if you are still dreaming in your life, you can make it.”

However, there are doubts whether he can reignite his former boxing prowess against an active champion in their prime. Chris Algieri suggests:

“But Manny Pacquiao is something special, he’s something different.”

As Pacquiao prepares for this match, he reflects on the essential nature of his comeback and the joy of being in the ring once more. The outcome remains uncertain but captures the boxing world’s attention; will the legend defy age once again, or will the youth of Barrios prevail?