There's a thin fine line that borders risk and recklessness.

Risk justifies effort and offers material or moral reward; recklessness, oftentimes, only feeds one's ego in pursuit of personal adulation.

Threading through miseries since his childhood and up until he sowed the seeds of a career that made him a living treasure, Manny Pacquiao has his tendencies of crossing the narrow edges of his limitations.

He tried business, he dipped his toes in singing, acting, and even made it to the PBA and earned a seat at the Philippine Senate.

And at 46 years old, with a trove of money to spare, he should have been enjoying his retirement in his palatial GenSan mansion and seeing his kids grow and realize their own dreams. Perhaps, he should be travelling the world and appreciate life minus the stress and his painful past only worth remembering.

But he returned to the ring last Sunday, July 20, 2025, against a younger and taller opponent who advertised himself as an Aztec Warrior and nothing less of being the World Boxing Council welterweight champion.

It was one decision doubted by experts and one more reason he was clowned around by the very people he once gifted with pride on a global scale.

It was one step that challenged the meaning of taking risk or moving toward the gloom of recklessness. A dangerous trail to say the least.

Mario Barrios, who, at 30 years old, was all the inches longer and heftier compared to the 5-foot-6 frame of Pacquiao, and he wouldn't bulge to the fact he was facing a legendary boxer, and not even the Filipino's induction to the Hall of Fame could demand him of respect and submission when they both step on the ring.

Pacquiao, meanwhile, hasn't fought professionally in four years, or since he dropped a fight against Yordenis Ugas of Cuba via unanimous decision. He was predicted to be less active and less powerful than his youthful days when his presence was enough to demand fear and unease for every opponent he got entangled with.

The fight was supposed to be lacking entertainment with all the odds stacked one after another: young versus old, champion versus underdog, the new generation boxer versus the former primetime king.

But the 12 rounds of boxing in Las Vegas was pure bliss and thrilling.

Pacquiao was the aggressor, the commander of the ring. He upped the tempo with his usual flair of lateral movements, used his speed to negate his reach disadvantage, and delivered solid blows that stunned the crowd who were predominantly Filipinos in the US.

Barrios, despite being the heavy favorite, was left dumbfounded and was hitting a brick wall of defense carved out from a 46-year-old body. He was tentative and a bit confused. Maybe in his mind: Why the hell am I struggling against this old man?

But the scorecards showed otherwise.

Perhaps the judges were not amused at all. Barrios retained his belt. It was a majority draw. Pacquiao's shot at history was swatted away at MGM Grand.

The Filipino, after all, isn't sulking on one corner as he is bound to be paid handsomely. He is pegged to receive at least ₱1 billion from his fight purse and a cut from pay-per-view sales.

There's also a talk of a rematch, or a dance with other premier boxers who could share the ring with the same lion's heart.

Was it worth the risk? One hundred percent. Was there a hint of recklessness? Nothing.

From Pacquiao's own words, it was his thirst for competition that drove him to a vicious path of a boxing comeback.

For the suspicions on his health, readiness, and motives, he proved us all wrong last Sunday. The old man made us proud again.

(Ramon Rafael Bonilla is the Sports Editor of Manila Bulletin)