Pacquiao sparring partner wishes Barrios ‘good luck’

One of Manny Pacquiao’s tall and rangy sparring partners has a simple message to World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion Mario Barrios.

“Good luck, Mario Barrios. Good luck, good luck,” Saul Bustos told Los Angeles-based GMA stringer Jhay Otamias after watching the latest sparring session of Pacquiao at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood.

Bustos, who stands 5-feet-11, packs a 15-2-1 win-loss-draw record with eight knockouts and he didn’t hide his gratitude for being tapped to serve as the eight-division champion’s sparmates.

“I feel privileged that I am here with the legend,” the California-born Bustos, a right-hander like Barrios, said.

“I am grateful and blessed to be chosen to be helping him out. It’s surreal,” he added.

Barrios, who towers over the 5-feet-six Pacquiao at six feet, has a 29-2-1 mark with 18 knockouts, is likewise in the thick of his buildup in San Antonio, Texas.

Pacquiao, 46, has entered the second month of his preparation for his ambitious plan to snatch the WBC 147-pound crown on 19 July at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

This Wednesday, he and fellow Hall of Famer Freddie Roach are hosting an open media workout at the Wild Card with the media getting to assess not just the progress of his training but his chances against the younger and fresher Barrios.

Inactivity is one deep concern for Pacquiao, who hasn’t fought since being upset by Yordenis Ugas in August 2021 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

But Pacquiao swears the long layoff will benefit him.

Oddsmakers have installed Barrios as -300 and Pacquiao as +250.

Using these figures, a $300 bet on a Barrios victory would only win $30.

In contrast, those who will bet on Pacquiao only need to fork out a paltry $100 to win $250.