Manila crowd cheers Pacquiao comeback, draw and all; veteran comes close to bagging title in improbable comeback

Filipino boxing fans react while watching a livestream of the WBC welterweight fight between Philippine boxing icon and former senator Manny Pacquiao and WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios, at a school gym in Mandaluyong City, Philippines, on Sunday, July 20, 2025. -- REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

MANILA (AFP): The crowd inside the Manila college gym on Sunday roared with every flurry that Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao landed in Las Vegas, then groaned collectively when a draw was announced at the end of 12 hard-fought rounds.

An outdoor viewing party originally planned for the Welfareville neighbourhood, where a slum sits alongside wealthier areas, was moved inside after heavy rain from Tropical Storm Wipha.