Manny Pacquiao faced a wave of questions and doubts ahead of his fight against Mario Barrios on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Critics pointed out a long list of disadvantages, with many fans and experts predicting a complete disaster. However, ‘Pacman’ remained confident in his chances—and had other plans in mind.
In front of a crowd of 13,000, Manny Pacquiao rolled back the years and delivered an absolute clinic. His speed, footwork, and agility were all on full display, leaving Barrios perplexed and unable to gain a decisive upper hand. For fans watching around the world, the outcome seemed clear—Manny Pacquiao should have won. However, the judges’ scorecards told a different story, as the fight ended in a majority draw. But what exactly is a majority draw?
Manny Pacquiao vs. Mario Barrios scorecard explained
To understand what a majority draw is, let’s first look at how the judges scored the Pacquiao vs. Barrios fight. Two judges scored it 114-114, while the third gave a narrow 115-113 win to Barrios. Since the majority of judges—two out of three—saw the fight as a draw, that verdict took precedence, resulting in a majority draw.
Source: Instagram
Had all three judges scored the fight even, it would have been classified as a unanimous draw. Similarly, if one judge had favored Pacquiao, another Barrios, and the third scored it a draw, the result would have been a split decision draw. In all these scenarios, neither fighter is handed a loss, which means Barrios was able to retain his WBC welterweight title.
However, the problem with the Pacquiao vs. Barrios fight is that people felt Pacquiao had done enough to win, which, of course, didn’t happen, resulting in a backlash. Had the 46-year-old come out victorious, he would have become the second-oldest fighter to win a major belt, creating history in the sport.
Despite the prevailing sentiment among fans, the statistics from the fight show a different story.
Barrios edged out Pacquiao in CompuBox stats
After the fight, the ritualistic CompuBox numbers quickly began circulating on social media, offering a statistical lens through which to view the bout. While the idea that Pacquiao was robbed became a trending narrative, the stats painted a more nuanced picture. Barrios was clearly the busier fighter with his jab, while ‘Pacman’ barely edged him out in power punches.
Manny Pacquiao vs Mario Barrios full punch stats report from CompuBox.
‘Pac-Man’ had a slight edge in power punches landed through 12 rounds, while ‘El Azteca’ was the busier man, doubling up the 46 year old on jabs landed. pic.twitter.com/wMipsv8pFB
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) July 20, 2025
According to CompuBox’s stats, Barrios landed 120 of 658 total punches—19 more than Pacquiao, who connected on 101 of 577. Pacquiao did have the edge in power punches, landing 81 of 259 compared to Barrios’ 75 of 235. However, Barrios dominated with the jab, connecting on 45 of 423, while Pacquiao landed just 20 of 318.
Considering these numbers, the majority draw seems like a fair outcome for the fight. Barrios was more active overall, while Pacquiao landed the cleaner power shots. Regardless, Manny Pacquiao has already announced that he plans to pursue a rematch to settle the score once and for all. But who do you think won? Do you think Pacquiao was robbed?
The post What Is a Majority Draw, and How Is It Scored in Boxing? Pacquiao vs. Barrios Controversial Tie Explained appeared first on EssentiallySports.
