Manny Pacquiao’s dawn assaults on the steep roads of Griffith Park have become a daily procession of champions, prospects, and curious onlookers. From Teófimo Lopez pacing beside him to kids chasing autographs, the 46-year-old icon draws a crowd that cheers every stride past the Observatory and toward the Hollywood sign. Pacquiao thanks them with guitar riffs, selfies, and the same grin that once lit up Las Vegas title nights, but the real payoff is the surge of energy he says only this communal pilgrimage can provide.
The eight-division legend needs every ounce of it. After four years out of the ring, he will try to join George Foreman and Bernard Hopkins as the only men to claim a world title past 45 when he faces WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios on July 19. Barrios is younger, taller, and relentless, yet those who’ve watched Pacquiao’s mountain sessions report bristling footwork and thudding combinations that echo the nights he dismantled Miguel Cotto, Oscar De La Hoya, and Antonio Margarito.
Pacquiao measures readiness by the hill. If he can glide up the punishing grades without gasping, he believes he can deliver twelve hard rounds under the MGM Grand lights. Coaches monitor him to prevent overtraining, but he insists the legs still spring, the southpaw angles still appear, and the punch clusters remain dangerously fast. He welcomes skepticism, pointing to discipline as the separator between faded legends and timeless ones.
The run’s atmosphere feels like a farewell tour yet Pacquiao frames it as a rallying cry for anyone chasing late-stage goals. “If I can do it, then I’m ready for the fight,” he says, embracing his underdog role with familiar relish. Whether the Las Vegas bout ends in a final burst of brilliance or a lesson in mortality, the hills above Los Angeles have already delivered their verdict: Manny Pacquiao still believes, and thousands are running behind him to see if belief is enough.
Follow Pacquiao vs. Barrios event.
Image Credit: The Ring