Many were surprised when Manny Pacquiao officially announced his return from retirement to challenge World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion Mario Barrios.This bout will be Pacquiao's first in four years, and at 46 years old, he faces a significant challenge: Barrios, who is 16 years younger and stands six inches taller than the 5-foot-6 Filipino legend.However, "Sugar" Shane Mosley—a fellow boxing great and former opponent who recently joined Pacquiao's training camp in Los Angeles—believes Pacquiao can emerge victorious at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, July 19. Mosley, who lost to Pacquiao by unanimous decision in 2011 while defending his WBO welterweight title, noted that Pacquiao is in great shape both physically and mentally.

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Sports, has renewed his call for government agencies to prioritize health, disaster resilience, and sports infrastructure over projects he described as having little value to Filipinos.At a Senate Committee on Sports hearing on September 15, Go lamented that billions have been spent on flood control while sports and health facilities remain neglected.“Sana ‘yung paggamit ng pondo sa infrastructure — instead na gamitin sa mga flood control na wala namang taong nakikinabang, nilalagay sa mga lugar na walang katao-tao — sa sports facilities na makakatulong… gawing dormitoryo, repair po ng ating pasilidad dahil ‘yung iba d’yan napakatagal,” Go said.He noted that the recent flood control budget could have built 60,000 evacuation centers or 80,000 health centers nationwide, providing tangible benefits for communities.“Kaysa sa proyektong walang pakinabang o ginagawang gatasan ng iilan, sa sports na lang. At least dito, makikinabang talaga ang ating kababayan at lalo na ang ating mga atleta,” he added.Go also stressed the urgency of implementing the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act, which mandates evacuation centers nationwide, and called on the DPWH to focus on sports facility development and rehabilitation.His comments came after PSC Chairman Patrick Gregorio reported on the condition of key sports venues, including the flood-prone Rizal Memorial Sports Complex. Gregorio said the PSC is collaborating with the DPWH, MMDA, and other agencies to build catchment systems and upgrade facilities for long-term improvement.Gregorio assured lawmakers that visible upgrades will soon begin, not only at Rizal Memorial but also at New Clark City’s National Academy of Sports and training centers in Baguio. The PSC is committed to responsible resource management to sustain Philippine sports growth.

In a Finals series that reached its pinnacle, a new team emerged as champions — OKC defeated the Indiana Pacers in Game 7, 103-91, at the Paycom Center on Monday, June 23 (Philippine time).

Former IBF super flyweight world champion Jerwin Ancajas remains focused and in top shape as he anticipates a potential slot on the highly anticipated Manny Pacquiao vs. Mario Barrios card on July 19 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. While no opponent has been officially announced, Ancajas is training as if the call could come at any moment.“Wala pang binigay na kalaban,” admitted the 33-year-old Ancajas, who has been quietly preparing in Los Angeles alongside fellow Filipino fighters Mark Magsayo and Eumir Marcial—both confirmed to appear on the undercard.Ancajas also shared that, if given the green light, he expects to fight at a catchweight of 123 or 124 pounds—just under the featherweight limit of 126.In January of this year, Ancajas captured the vacant Philippine super bantamweight crown via a second-round stoppage of Richie Mepranum in Iligan. That victory marked his second consecutive win since falling to Japan’s Takuma Inoue via ninth-round TKO in a WBA bantamweight title fight in Tokyo last year. Ancajas reigned for nearly six years as IBF champion in the 115-pound division.Meanwhile, two fellow Filipino fighters are already set to light up the Pacquiao-Barrios undercard. Mark Magsayo (29) will take on Jorge Mata Cuellar of Mexico in a 10-round showdown for the vacant WBC Continental Americas super featherweight title. Magsayo is currently ranked No. 2 by the WBC in the super featherweight division, positioning him just a step away from a possible title shot against reigning champion O’Shaquie Foster.Eumir Marcial (29), returning from Olympic duties, will square off with Alexis Gaytan of Texas in an eight-round middleweight bout. Marcial boasts an unblemished 5-0 pro record with 3 knockouts and is looking to build momentum as he refocuses on his professional boxing career.Cuellar, who’s making his U.S. debut, holds a solid record of 21-2-2 with 13 KOs, including five straight wins. Gaytan, a seasoned veteran, brings a 17-10 record with 6 KOs, having won six of his last seven bouts.With Ancajas staying sharp and ready, the possibility of three Filipino warriors sharing the ring on one of the year’s most anticipated fight cards is closer than ever.

National fencers continued to assert their dominance by sweeping the gold medals in their respective events at the 2025 Philippine Fencing Association (PFA) 2nd Leg Senior Ranking held at Alabang Town Center in Muntinlupa City.A total of 219 fencers competed in the tournament, which serves as a qualifier for the Philippine team set to compete in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand this December. 

The Galeries Tower Highrisers finally enter the win column in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference by beating the Capital1 Solar Spikers in a 26-24, 25-14, 25-23 sweep on Saturday, December 7, at the Minglanilla Sports Complex in Cebu.Julia Coronel, the No. 3 overall pick in the inaugural draft, had her best game so far in the pro league as she produced nine points, highlighted by five service aces, including four straight at the start of Set 2. She also had 10 excellent sets.Jewel Encarnacion, another Galeries rookie, put up a solid outing with 10 attack points to go with back-to-back 10-point showings from mainstay spikers Ysa Jimenez and Andrea Marzan.Meanwhile, Leila Cruz, Coronel's former La Salle teammate, put up 14 markers and five digs that went for naught as Capital1 absorbed its fourth loss in five games.The former DLSU captain finally won a game after failing to do so in their first four games. The win also broke the 10-game slump of the Solar Spikers since April.In their Saturday match, Coronel brought out her effort in the young career that she has.

The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters finally snatched a win in Game 3 of their PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semi-finals series against the TNT Tropang 5G, 107-86, on Sunday, June 29, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.Anton Asistio scored a personal playoff-high 24 points to lead Rain or Shine in their first win of the best-of-seven affair. He also added six assists and a rebound to his stat line, shooting 7-of-9 from the field, including 4-of-5 from three-point range and 2-of-3 from the four-point arc, in just 28 minutes and 11 seconds off the bench.Caelan Tiongson followed with 16 markers, four boards, one assist, and a rejection, while Keith Datu tallied a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds, along with two assists and one block.Two more Elasto Painters scored in double figures—Leonard Santillan finished with 12 markers on top of eight boards, one assist, and one deflection, while Andrei Caracut added 10 points, four assists, and four steals.

Ateneo de Manila University claimed its first victory in the UAAP Season 87 women's volleyball tournament by sweeping the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons, 25-18, 25-22, 25-18, in their Battle of Katipunan matchup at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday.The Blue Eagles took a commanding 18-9 lead in the third set before UP managed to score three consecutive points to stop the run. However, Sobe Buena sparked a late rally, helping Ateneo push the score to 23-17. An AC Miner block then set up the match point, and although Niña Ytang managed to save one match point, Buena sealed the victory for Ateneo.Buena, who had been limited in Ateneo’s first two losses due to injury recovery, made a strong return just when her team needed her most, leading with 17 points from 15-of-27 attacking efficiency. Team captain Lyann de Guzman also played a key role, scoring 14 markers with 12 attacks and two aces, while experienced blocker AC Miner added 12 points, including seven attacks, four blocks, and one ace.

Filipino boxers secured their winning medals in the recently concluded ASBC Asian Elite Men and Women Championships 2024 in Chiang Mai, Thailand.The Philippines concluded its campaign with a silver and 4 bronze medals.Marrvin Tabamo led the pack and settled for a silver medal on Wednesday's finals of the men's 51-kilogram category after losing via unanimous decision to Uzbekistan's Asilbek Jalilov.In the tournament, he defeated Siiovush Mukhammadiiev of Ukraine in the first round via unanimous decision, Wang Xiangkun of China in the quarterfinals via split decision, and Hsu Po Hau of Taiwan via referee stoppage in the semifinals.With Tabamo's finish, the Philippine delegation still left Thailand with 5 medals; one silver from Tabamo and four bronze medals from others: Jay Bryan Baricuatro (men's 48kg), Mark Ashley Fajardo (men's 63.5kg), Ian Clark Bautista (men's 57kg), and Riza Pasuit (women's 57kg).

The Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) is hopeful that Alex Eala will represent the country at the Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok this December.“We’re hoping she could play for the Philippines. Let’s all pray she does,” said Philta Executive Director Tonette Mendoza.Mendoza said Eala’s participation will depend on her schedule, as the world No. 65 is working on arrangements but is eager to compete.“She’s just trying to fit it into her schedule, but she seems very excited, so we really hope she can make it,” Mendoza added.If Eala joins, she will be gunning for her first SEA Games gold medal after bagging three bronze medals at the 2021 Hanoi edition.Mendoza also confirmed that the same men’s team will banner the country in the Bangkok Games, while the women’s roster is still being finalized.“Yes, we have the same team in the men’s, but for the women’s we’re still trying to put them together. Preparations for the biennial meet will start by November,” Mendoza said.Members of both squads are also set to compete abroad as part of their training leading to the Games. 

Alas Pilipinas Women head coach Taka Minowa believes Asian volleyball must improve the transition of young talents from grassroots programs to the senior level to sustain the region’s success internationally.Minowa raised the concern during the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Girls’ U17 World Championship in Chile, where several Asian teams, including the Philippines, reached the Round of 16.“The challenge for Asian volleyball… is that although many Asian countries are among the strongest in the world at the grassroots level, they tend to be overtaken by other countries as players move up through the age categories,” Minowa said.The Alas Girls reached the knockout stage after wins over Mexico and Tunisia but fell to China, Peru and Venezuela in the group phase. They were later defeated by South Korea in the Round of 16 and are set to face Japan in the classification round.Minowa noted that Asia’s youth strength is evident from the previous U17 World Championship, where three of the four semifinalists were Asian teams. He urged countries to openly examine gaps in player development after the grassroots stage and work together to build a stronger pathway to the senior ranks.Japan currently leads Asian women’s volleyball at No. 6 in the world, followed by China at No. 7, Thailand at No. 17 and South Korea at No. 28.The development of young Filipino players has long been a priority for Minowa. In 2024, he helped guide the country’s youth teams in regional and Asian competitions, where the Philippines won bronze at the Princess Cup and finished 10th at the Asian U18 championship.Now leading the senior national team, Minowa has already overseen a breakthrough as Alas Pilipinas Women captured a historic silver medal in the second leg of the 2026 SEA V Cup.

Roger Ray Pogoy poured in 28 points to lead the TNT Tropang 5G past the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 98-91, in Game 1 of their Semi-Finals series on Wednesday, June 25, at the Mall of Asia Arena.Aside from his 28 markers, the sharpshooting guard also grabbed two rebounds and dished out four assists while playing a game-high 36 minutes to anchor TNT’s victory.

The NLEX Road Warriors and Rain or Shine Elasto Painters came out victorious at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Wednesday, May 8, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, to boost their campaign in PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup.NLEX stretched its winning streak to four games with a hard-fought 89-86 win over Barangay Ginebra, surviving a fourth-quarter scare led by Gin Kings guard Stephen Holt.Despite playing with a bruised quadriceps, Robert Bolick still led the Road Warriors with 28 points on an efficient 3-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc, while adding seven rebounds and four assists. He even delivered timely baskets in the last two minutes of the game to secure their 89-86 victory against the Kings.Xyrus Torres hit the go-ahead triple to give NLEX an 87-86 lead with under a minute remaining. Brandon Ramirez and Kevin Alas also scored in double figures with 11 and 10 points respectively, although Ramirez exited early due to a suspected dislocated jaw after an accidental hit from Jamie Malonzo.The Road Warriors improved to 4-1, while Ginebra dropped to an even 2-2 record.Holt finished with 21 points, including 18 in the fourth quarter alone to pace Ginebra, while Scottie Thompson added 20. Ginebra had a chance to win it in the closing seconds, but missed its final two attempts from the field.

Cignal ended what could have been a potentially lengthy game into a 25-16, 25-23, 26-24 victory over D’Navigators Iloilo in the Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference preliminaries at the Ynares Sports Arena on Sunday, November 10.After falling behind 22-24 in the third set, the HD Spikers showed grace under pressure as they delivered four consecutive points to secure a straight-set win, improving their record to 4-1.Cignal coach Dexter Clamor decided to use his second six as the D’Navigators pushed Cignal into tight battles, going ahead 22-19 in the third frame. An off-the-block hit courtesy of Steven St. Maria steered the team to a set point, 24-22, paving the way for a possible fourth set. However, the HD Spikers’ second unit took advantage of the D’Navigators’ mistakes and indecisiveness during the crucial moment. c came through to end the game, sealing the HD Spikers’ victory in the tournament. 

In celebration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 68th birthday, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) donated 2,000 sports balls to the Office of the President to boost grassroots sports development in public schools. The donation consists of 1,000 volleyballs from the FIVB and PNVF, 500 basketballs from the SBP, and 500 footballs from the PFF.The initiative aligns with Marcos’ call for a national sports development program, as announced in his recent State of the Nation Address. “Bubuo tayo ng bagong pambansang programa para sa sports development. Uumpisahan natin ito sa paaralan pa lamang,” Marcos said in his SONA.In partnership with the Department of Education, the PSC will help revive sports clubs and competitions in public schools to nurture young athletic talent.The First Family attended the FIVB Men’s World Championship 2025 opening at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, last Friday where President Marcos delivered the ceremonial serve. PSC Chairman Pato Gregorio hailed the milestone as a sign of a promising future for Philippine sports and youth development.“We are standing at the threshold of a great new era and the dawn of a truly exciting legacy. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!” said Gregorio.

Filipina tennis star Alex Eala bowed out of the Canadian Open after a hard-fought three-set defeat to Czechia’s Marketa Vondrousova, 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, in Montreal early Monday morning (Manila time).Eala, ranked World No. 69, looked sharp early, taking the opening set after breaking a 3-all deadlock and winning three straight games. However, playing with her left shoulder taped, she couldn’t sustain her momentum against the former Wimbledon champion.Vondrousova, currently World No. 65, seized control in the second set. After splitting the first two games, she swept the next five to level the match, 6-1.The Czech star carried her dominance into the decider, racing to a 2-0 lead. Eala managed to hold serve to cut the gap to 2-1, but Vondrousova’s steadiness and experience proved too much as she clinched four of the last five games to close out the match.While Eala produced more winners (30 to Vondrousova’s 27), her 29 unforced errors proved costly compared to the Czech’s 16. Vondrousova also fired seven aces, while Eala had none.“I expected [Eala] to play a great match and she had some good results before, so I expected that. It was a tough one and I’m very happy to beat her,” said Vondrousova, an Olympic silver medalist. “She’s very aggressive. My serve was better in the second and third sets, so I’m happy to fight back in this match.”Vondrousova advances to face Marta Kostyuk in the second round. Eala, meanwhile, will shift her focus to the Cincinnati Open next month.

The Philippine handball squads are all gearing up to reach new heights as they compete in the beach and indoor events of the upcoming regional and continental tournaments this year.After their fruitful campaign in the recently concluded Southeast Asian Beach Handball Championships in Suphanburi, Thailand, where they copped the gold and bronze medals last week after beating Vietnam in the men’s final, 2-1, highlighted by a thrilling 9-8 win via a shootout, while the women’s side, bagged the bronze medal.Philippine men’s national beach handball team member Rafael Agtarap is more confident at the country’s delegates to the sport in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games later this year.“Magandang experience sa amin ito, magandang fuel para ma-boost yung preparations namin sa SEA Games,” Agtarap said in the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum.Before that, the Philippine handball squad are also eyed for another task as they vie in the 10th Asian Men’s and Women’s Beach Championship which will be held in Muscat, Oman, slated from May 1 to 10.The tournament, according to national team head coach Gab De Guzman, plays a key role in the preparation of the Filipino handballers as they aim to make an impact in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand this December.“Siguro we need to practice more and have a training camp, kasi if you really want a shot at a gold medal in the SEA Games, these coming few months talaga is critical. And like what we did on the beach, we believe we can perform at a high level in this coming Southeast Asian Games,” said the handball team coach.Tough tests await the men’s team as Qatar, Iran, Pakistan, and host Oman are taking part in the week-long tilt. The women's crew, meanwhile, braces for powerhouse Vietnam, India, and Hong Kong.The country hasn’t won a gold medal yet in handball in the SEA Games, with the men’s beach team copping the silver in the 2021 edition in Hanoi, Vietnam.The Asian meet also serves as a qualifier for the World Handball Championships slated in Germany in January 2027.

Every team, every sport, and every coaching staff shares one objective: to attain victory and claim the championship. For the Petro Gazz Angels, this dream became a reality.After a thrilling 2024–25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference Finals, the Angels proved to themselves that the win was theirs. They dethroned the Creamline Cool Smashers with a commanding 25-21, 25-16, 23-25, 25-19 victory in Game 3 on Saturday, April 12.For Petro Gazz Coach Koji Tsuzurabara, the championship was the culmination of a long-held dream.Tsuzurabara never doubted his team. He believed in the players he had—players capable of going all the way.Tsuzurabara was fortunate and thrilled to have a talented team, including standout players like Brooke Van Sickle and MJ Philips, who not only secured the championship but also earned the Conference MVP and Finals MVP awards, respectively.“I trust the player we could win. I’m lucky to have a great team with great players,”  Tsuzurabara said.For now, the Angels are preparing for the upcoming AVC Women's Champions League to be held on April 20 to 27, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig wherein they will face the teams of Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong. For Brooke Van Sickle, the PVL Conference MVP, the upcoming international tournament is especially exciting, as it marks her debut in international competition. She is eager to see how other countries play volleyball and learn from the experience.“This is my first time with international play. So I'm just excited to see good volleyball and just be able to see how other countries play the sport and to learn from them and grow and just to see the intensity. So I'm super stoked,” said Van Sickle.The Petro Gazz Angels, alongside PLDT High Speed Hitters and Creamline Cool Smashers, will represent the Philippines at the AVC Women’s Champions League, fighting not just for victory, but for national pride and honor.

The Philippine Dragon Boat Team bagged the overall championship in the recently concluded 2024 ICF Dragon Boat World Championships held in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan from October 27 to Sunday, November 3.In front of a lively hometown crowd, the Filipino paddlers added two gold, five silver and two bronze medals for an impressive 11-20-16 overall tally.The Southeast Asian powerhouse Thailand took runner-up honors with eight golds, while the I.N.A (Individual Neutral Athlete) squad was third with a haul of six golds, three silvers and three bronzes in the meet supported by the Philippine Sports Commission and Tingog party-list.The hosts won a hotly-contested masters mixed 20-seater standard boat 500-meter race in two minutes and 6.34 seconds, nosing out Singapore (2:06.73) while Germany was not too far behind in third (2:07.98) in the competition organized by the Philippine Canoe Kayak Dragon Boat Federation.The Filipinos were also runaway winners in the 40+ 20-seater women’s 2,000-meter standard boat event (10:42.31) over runner-up Canada (10:48.64) and took silvers in the 20-seater mixed standard boat 500-meter  (1:58.13), 40+ 10-seater mixed 500-meter (2:19.45), 20-seater open (9:23.16) and 40+ 20-seater open 5,000-meter (9:34.47) races. But the 20-seater mixed standard 500-meters was the most thrilling as the hosts virtually led from start to finish until they were beaten in the last 10 meters by the late-charging Ukrainians, who snatched the gold in 1:57.51.   They also bagged the last bronze of the day in the 40+ 10-seater open 500-meter (2:15.93) event in the four-day tournament also supported by the Puerto Princesa City governmentAccording to Philippine Canoe Kayak Dragon Boat Federation or PCKDF president Leonora "Lenlen" Escollante, they are happy with the country's achievement and they were not disappointed in their hope that it will lead the international competition.Escollante also appreciates the warm support of the local government of Puerto Princesa in holding this type of international sporting events, as well as the hospitality of Filipinos to foreign visitors participating in the competition.

Alas Pilipinas secured the bronze medal after beating Indonesia, 27-25, 27-29, 18-25, 25-22, 15-11, in the 2026 Southeast Asian Girls' U18 Volleyball Championship. This marks their second consecutive Bronze Medal after they clinching the first in last year's tournament.Ella Gonzalvo also won the Best Outside Hitter Award in the tournament. Meanwhile, Thailand successfully defended their title against Vietnam, 25-23, 29-27, 25-22, and was crowned champion once again in the Princess Cup.