Mario Barrios swears he is looking at Manny Pacquiao as just another guy bidding to mess him up but admits that he and his team have “something special planned” on 19 July at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“I’ll definitely be showcasing my indigenous roots for my walkout. That’s something I love to feel as I’m entering the ring,” Barrios said during a recent media workout in Las Vegas.

Barrios will be putting not just his World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight crown on the line but his reputation, too.

At 30 years old —16 years younger than the Filipino icon — Barrios believes he has to take care of business the way ringsiders expect him to.

“I’ve always trained for every fight like it’s a world title fight, so this is no different. I know who I’m going against and I know the threat he is inside of the ring. But with my team and everything we’re working on in the gym, I just have to go out and execute and we’ll be victorious.”

Barrios, a native of San Antonio, Texas, also feels that he was confused at first when the fight with Pacquiao was presented to him.

“When the fight was first brought to me I wasn’t sure whether to take it as respect or disrespect, because he wanted me. But regardless, I’m the champion for a reason and I’m gonna show why I’m holding the WBC belt.”

Still, the six-foot puncher is not taking the comebacking eight-division legend for granted.

“Manny’s movement and hand speed are looking on point right now. That’s what has always made him a great fighter. He doesn’t have an easy style to replicate and that can make sparring tricky. That’s one of the reasons he’s been so successful and why he’s in the position that he is.”

Pacquiao is returning after almost four years after his retirement and dusts off claims that he is too old and rusty to be taking on an active and a lot fresher opponent in Barrios.

Famed for his dazzling footwork and lightning-quick reflexes, Pacquiao insists that the his four-absence has done wonders for his body and overall conditioning.

“This has allowed me to rest and recharge,” said Pacquiao, who dropped a unanimous decision to Yordenis Ugas of Cuba in his last outing.

Even Bob Santos, the lead trainer of Barrios, somehow agrees that the long rest could even prove to be beneficial for guys like Pacquiao.

“It could work in two ways. I’ve been in this game for a long, long time,” said Santos, citing James Toney who came out smoking after a layoff.

“You have to take this with a caveat,” said Santos, who even wore a Pacman cap with a “Game Over” print emblazoned on it.