“I really don’t want to see him make a comeback, because I think he’s already been great. He’s already done everything he can do.” That is what Freddie Roach told Boxing Scene’s Keiran Mulvaney a few days ago about Manny Pacquiao‘s planned return to boxing. Though the veteran trainer has his apprehensions, he has welcomed his prized pupil back at the Wild Card Gym in LA. A month after Pacquiao’s induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame on June 8, he is set to fight WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios on July 19 in Las Vegas.

Ever since WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed that the eight-division world champion would be making a U-turn towards the ring, four years after retirement and at an out-of-prime age of 46, the community has been divided. Half the fans are containing their excitement; the other half are still processing their surprise, frustration, and worry. Boxing insiders, including Bob Arum, Eddie Hearn, and Jeff Mayweather, fall in the latter half of the divide. But some, like Terence Crawford, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Jose Benavidez Sr., think that PacMan’s long experience would be too strong for the 30-year-old Barrios.

Siding with supporters, Benavidez Sr., David Benavidez, and Jose Benavidez Jr.’s father, spoke to Fight Hype just hours ago. Shooting the hot question that is at the top of the boxing community’s discussions right now, Jeff Zimmerman asked the trainer if Pacquiao can beat Barrios. Considering that the former has seventy-two fights on his resume, Sr. replied, “I would hope so, you know, because to me Pacquiao’s a hero. That would be a big thing for a lot of people, a big motivation for a lot of people.”

You see, if the Filipino is able to win against a fighter who is 16 years younger than him, that would set an example for other athletes to follow. Hell, even normal folks would be motivated to hit the gym every day. It would make age-related challenges look like they’re falsely tied to a mere number. But then, tapping back into reality, the boxing trainer added, “Barrios is a tough fighter. He’s proven himself, and he always brings a lot of action to the fights.“

Injecting in, Zimmerman tried to mention that Barrios barely got out of his last one against Abel Ramos, which was a split decision draw in November last year. So, those things point towards Manny Pacquiao having a chance to grab that title. And maybe he would, fulfilling the wish to hold the green and gold belt for one last time, since that was his first world title belt when he became the flyweight champion in 1998. So, who would win? Well, Benavidez Sr. threw in his verdict: “We’ve got to see. I think it’s going to be a great fight. I can’t wait for that fight…I just want to see what happens.” And sure enough, everyone will, but let’s take it from Pacquiao himself about what his stance is on the whole age-gap debate.

Manny Pacquiao laughs off fans’ biggest fear

No matter what anyone says, the Kibawe southpaw doesn’t give it a thought. He knows where he stands. And he knows the amount of training he’s gone through. Speaking of which, the boxer has been publicly working out at a neighborhood basketball court for some time now. And let us tell you—Pacquiao looked sharp. Is it the same sharpness as 2006-2010? Well, pundits and critics would argue otherwise. But at 46? PacMan sure as hell looks prepared for every possibility.

Yesterday, the veteran was seen throwing speedy punches while shadow boxing outdoors. Mimicking him, his son Emmanuel Pacquiao tried to throw on a show for the small crowd encircling the duo. For those who aren’t keeping tabs, Pacquiao Jr., better known as Jimuel, will be making his pro debut on his father’s undercard after 10 fights on his amateur record. Too much for one night? Quite not. Nine days ago, when Pacquiao arrived at the Los Angeles airport to kick off his aforementioned training before the fight, Fight Hype got a chance to catch up with him.

When the reporter asked the ex-champ about a huge age difference between him and his opponent, Pacquiao’s reaction pretty much summed it up. “Don’t worry about it,” he laughed off like a badass, chewing gum. Now, whether this confidence is going to match Manny Pacquiao’s reaction post-fight is something only the ring would decide. Meanwhile, let us know which half you belong to—rooting for Mario Barrios, or a 46-year-old Manny Pacquiao?