Pacquiao-Barrios: Seven fighters who defied Father Time to win world titles in their 40s

Pacquiao will aim to prove he can roll back the years when he faces Barrios at the age of 46

(GETTY IMAGES)

Manny Pacquiao will return to the ring after a four-year absence to challenge Mario Barrios for his WBC welterweight title on Saturday night.

Despite losing his last fight to Yorgenis Ugas in 2021, Pacquiao is going straight back in at the highest level as he looks to become a world champion again at the age of 46.

The odds are stacked against the Filipino legend due to his advancing years, but he has pulled off improbable victories before to win belts in eight different weight divisions.

Does he have one huge performance left in him? Well, he may take inspiration from several other fighters who defied Father Time to claim full versions of world titles in their 40s, proving that age can be just a number.

Subscribe to DAZN now to watch over 185 fights a year

Vitali Klitschko

Let’s start with the elder Klitschko brother. Due to the excellence of his younger sibling, Wladimir, and his own injury problems, Vitali Klitschko arguably doesn’t get the credit he deserves.

But he was a phenomenal fighter in his own right who held a version of the heavyweight title on multiple occasions.

Vitali came back into the sport after four years away following fitness issues to claim the WBC title by stopping Samuel Peter in 2008.

He would go on to make nine successful defences of his title, culminating with a fourth-round stoppage victory over Manuel Charr.

That win came when Vitali was 41 years and 51 days old as he retired on top of the world with an impressive professional record of 45 wins and just two losses.

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

Vitali Klitschko remained a dominant force into his 40s

Sam Soliman

Soliman is one of the biggest boxing stars to come out of Australia in recent times, but he had to wait patiently to get his moment in the spotlight.

Having fallen short when facing fellow Aussie Anthony Mundine for the vacant WBA super-middleweight title in 2007, Soliman got another shot at gold when he challenged Germany’s Felix Sturm for his IBF middleweight title seven years later.

Soliman entered the ring aged 40 years and 199 days, but he still managed to outwork Sturm to earn a unanimous decision victory in Germany.

He became the oldest ever middleweight champion, although his reign was a short one as he was outpointed by Jermain Taylor a little over four months later.

Soliman kept fighting for another decade, with his last bout being a points loss to Yuki Nonaka in Japan last year.

Thulani Malinga

Malinga spent the majority of his career in his homeland of South Africa, but then came over to the UK to challenge Chris Eubank for his WBO super-middleweight title in 1992.

Eubank Jr edged a split decision to retain his title, and Malinga then fell short against Nigel Benn and Roy Jones Jr.

However, he refused to give up on his dream of winning a world title and he finally got his reward when he avenged his loss to Benn to become champion at 40.

He lost his belt in his next fight to Italy’s Vincenzo Nardiello, but when Nardiello was beaten by Britain’s Robin Reid, Malinga returned to the UK to try and win his title back.

Just eight days after turning 42, Malinga beat Reid on points to regain his title in London. Once again, it proved to be a short reign as he then lost on points to another Brit, Richie Woodhall, three months later.

George Foreman

Foreman had an extraordinary career that spanned over a quarter of a century with a 10-year gap in the middle.

During his rise in the early 1970s, Foreman was a wrecking ball off a heavyweight who destroyed everyone in his path until he bumped into Muhammad Ali.

That ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ defeat rocked Foreman and he struggled to get back to his best as he walked away from the sport after a loss to Jimmy Young in 1977.

Foreman became a pastor in his hometown in Houston and few expected him to return to the ring, but he made a stunning comeback in 1987.

After losing world title fights to Evander Holyfield and Tommy Morrison, Foreman got one final shot at glory against Michael Moorer.

‘Big George’ was behind on the scorecards going into the latter rounds before unleashing a thunderous right hand that left Moorer out for the count as he became champion again at the age of 45.

Foreman defended his IBF belt against Axel Schulz when he was aged 46 years and 102 days, and he remains the oldest heavyweight champion in history.

(Getty Images)

Cornelius Bundrage

Bundrage was 15 years into his professional career when he got his first world title opportunity against Cory Spinks.

He knocked out his fellow American inside five rounds to capture the IBF light-middleweight title and would go on to make two successful defences before losing to Ishe Smith.

That defeat came just a couple of months before his 40th birthday, and some may have expected Bundrage’s time at the top level to be over.

But he received another chance to reclaim his old belt against Carlos Molina and he took it. Bundrage beat Molina via unanimous decision as he became champion again at 41 years and 169 days old.

Eleven months later, Bundrage’s time as champion came to an end as he was stopped in the third round by Jermall Charlo.

Bernard Hopkins

Hopkins was beaten on his professional debut in 1988. Nobody could have predicted what he would go on to achieve.

He ruled the middleweight division for the best part of a decade around the turn of the millennium, and then jumped up to light-heavyweight once he had moved into his 40s.

Hopkins’ clean-living lifestyle meant he was still able to compete with the best and he beat Antonio Tarver to claim The Ring light-heavyweight title in 2006 when he was 41.

He lost to Joe Calzaghe two years later, but remained adamant he still had plenty left to offer.

Hopkins was proved right as he outpointed Jean Pascal in 2011 to surpass Foreman’s record as the oldest world champion ever.

Two years later, he was back for more as he beat Tavoris Cloud to win the IBF belt, and he then won a unification clash against Beibut Shumenov when he was 49 years and 94 days old.

Hopkins lost the last two fights of his career to Sergey Kovalev and Joe Smith Jr, but his longevity in the sport was simply incredible.

Bernard Hopkins remains boxing’s oldest ever world champion (AFP/Getty)

Manny Pacquiao

It’s only right to finish with the man himself who will be looking to roll back the years this weekend.

Pacquiao has achieved so much in his career that it is easy to forget he has already won a world title since turning 40.

Back in 2019, Pacquiao took on Keith Thurman for the WBA (Super) welterweight title in Las Vegas. ‘Pac-Man’ knocked his rival down in the first round and then hurt Thurman again with a body shot in the 10th round.

There was very little to separate the pair, but it was Pacquiao who got the nod by split decision as he was crowned champion at 40.

Six years on, Pacquiao may feel that a similar performance could get the job done against Barrios. But does he have enough left in the tank? We will get our answer on Saturday night.

Subscribe to DAZN now to watch over 185 fights a year