Pacquiao (right) lands a stinging uppercut on Barrera in the 11th round

The Mexican former featherweight, super bantamweight and super featherweight champion was outpointed (118-109, 118-109, 115-112) after a tense clash.

The fight came to life in round four as both unleashed a blizzard of punches.

But Pacquiao increasingly asserted control from the sixth, cutting off Barrera's counters, to ensure the win.

Manny didn't hurt me. I thought I controlled the fight with my left hand Marco Antonio Barrera

Barrera, who was the first man to beat Britain's Naseem Hamed, was deducted a point in round 11 after throwing a punch on the break.

"Honestly, this was my last fight," he said. "Manny has such a strong defence, it was difficult to break through.

"I'm sad because I lost the fight. He didn't land many punches, he didn't hurt me. I thought I controlled the fight with my left hand."

Pacquiao, who retained his WBC International championship title with the win, said: "It was different from our first fight. He is a good, smart boxer.

"I knew he'd have to box me, and that's what he did."