The decision came as a surprise for Pacquiao.

CEBU, Philippines —  "I thought I won the fight," said the former Philippine senator after his action-packed battle against Barrios, "I mean, it was a close fight. My opponent was very tough. But it was a wonderful fight."

"I was trying to find a way to finish the fight but my opponent was so tough. He threw punches in combination and with defense, so it was hard," added Pacquiao, who fell short in his attempt to become the first active Hall of Famer to win a major world title.

Interestingly, the 30-year-old Barrios previously defended his throne also via draw against Abel Ramos on November 15 last year at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Against Pacquiao, Barrios felt he had done enough against a legendary opponent who still had flashes of brilliance despite seeing action for the first time since 2021.

"I thought I pulled it out," said Barrios, whose effective jabs and counter-punching skills helped neutralize Pacquiao's determined aggression, "but I still tip my hat to Manny. It was an honor to share the ring with him, somebody with so much experience who has accomplished so much in this sport. We left everything in the ring, nothing but love and respect."

Barrios then expressed that he is open for a rematch with the ageless Pacman.

"I'll do the rematch. Absolutely. This was huge for boxing. I'd love to do it again,” Barrios said.

It is something that Pacquiao looks forward to.

"Of course I'd like a rematch," Pacquiao said, "I want to leave a legacy and make the Filipino people proud." (CEBU NEWS)