Mauricio Sulaiman has confirmed that the WBC would approve Manny Pacquiao fighting Mario Barrios for their version of the welterweight title.
A fight between the pair is reportedly being explored for the back end of the year in Las Vegas with the green and gold strap on the line.
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Barrios was elevated from 'interim' to full champion in June after former title holder, Terence Crawford, announced he would be moving up to super-welterweight to box WBA champion Israil Madrimov on August 3.
Crawford has been made 'champion in recess' meaning he can return to the division and challenge for the title if he so wishes.
But that seems unlikely considering he has already achieved undisputed supremacy at 147lbs.
Souleymane Cissokho is ranked No.1 by the WBC and is therefore next in line to box Barrios.
However, the WBC is open to the idea of allowing Pacquiao jump the queue.
"Manny Pacquiao is timeless. He's a legend," WBC president Sulaiman told Sky Sports.
"We have great precedent of former champions coming back as long as they pass successfully all the medical examinations.
"As a former champion and as a legend, he does have the possibility of fighting for the WBC championship.
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"I do like the idea very much. I think Manny Pacquiao can beat any fighter or can be competitive with any fighter today.
"But to have him return to the WBC more than two decades after he won his first world championship, which was the WBC flyweight title, and then go all the way to welterweight in 2024 would be sensational."
Pacquiao, a former eight-weight world champion, has not competed professionally since his comprehensive unanimous decision defeat to Yordenis Ugas in August 2021.
Yet the Filipino boxing legend still believes he has what it takes to hang with the current crop of boxing stars.
"I made history at 40 beating Keith Thurman and I feel at 45, I have a lot left in the game as I haven't taken a lot of punishment over the last few years," Pacquiao told ESPN of a potential fight with Barrios. "I want to go out making history."
The 45-year-old remains active in the exhibition boxing sphere and is set to face former K-1 super lightweight champion Rukiya Anpo on July 28 in his next outing.
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