Two of the world's most talented boxers will join Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder in making the summer of 2021 a boxing fans delight. The long, highly anticipated return of Manny Pacquiao is over, as the future boxing Hall of Famer has finally accepted a bout agreement to meet with Error Spence on August 21st. The venue has not officially been set, but Las Vegas will be the location for the former eight-division World Champion Pacquiao and the current IBF/WBC welterweight champion Errol Spence to put on an instant classic. Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) is highly regarded amongst the boxing world, having owned championships across eight different weight divisions. Spence (27-0, 21 KOs) holds two significant titles in the 147-pound division and is currently ranked No.4 pound-for-pound fighter. Pacquiao, aged 42, has been inactive in competition since 2019 when he was victorious against Keith Thurman to retain the WBA championship that was eventually vacated. It’s the most extended layoff of Pacquiao’s illustrious career, which has given some critics a cause for concern when facing a young stud like Spence. In December, Spence, 31, last fought when he defeated Danny Garcia and retained his WBC and IBF titles. According to the president of Manny Pacquiao Promotions, the fight in question was an easy fight to make and came together quickly. Apparently, Spence was the only opponent for the Filipino superstar. “Many people believe Spence is the best welterweight in the world and one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, and Pacquiao has never shied away from fighting real fights,” Sean Gibbons told ESPN. “He’s not going to make a fool of himself fighting YouTubers or social media guys like Floyd Mayweather is, and he wants to continue his legacy. He’s always fought the best, and he doesn’t want to change now.” In New Jersey and many surrounding states, the support for Spence will be rife; the United States born fighter has the chance to make history by defeating a legend in Manny Pacquiao. Given the two-year layoff and Pacquiao’s older age, it is hard to pick against the undefeated Spence in front of his nation’s support. It was a special moment when Pacquiao defeated Keith Thurman, as critics questioned his age back then. But after a 23-month layoff, deciding to fight Errol Spence may have been the wrong decision by Pacquiao and his team. Pacquiao vs. Spence Prediction I personally believe that a tune-up fight against the likes of Mikey Garcia may have been the wiser choice, the inactiveness of Garcia would have matched that of Pacquiao, and he’s also been calling him out.
With that said, it doesn’t mean the contest against Spence isn’t winnable. We’re talking about a true legend of the sport, and if Manny can deliver the expectations of his younger self, Spence will have his work cut out for him. Manny will need to move in and out, remain on his toes, have confidence in letting his hands go and be sure to stay outside of the pocket for long periods. However, this should technically be Spence’s fight to lose; when you combine the long two-year layoff of Pacquiao and his age, even the sportsbooks will probably favour the undefeated Spence in his chances of defeating Pac-Man. If ageing fighters with credibility want to remain on top of their game, activity is the number one aspect of doing so. The chances of winning such a high-profile fight for Pacquiao may have gone out the window in his decision to take two years off. When reviewing Pacquiao’s previous fight in 2019 against Thurman, he didn’t look himself in that bout and only edged the contest via split decision. Two years is a long time, especially for a 42-year-old fighter, and in my opinion, the competition level between Thurman and Spence is worlds apart. Pacquiao’s cardio looked questionable after the sixth round versus Thurman, now facing a young and hungry Spence; his chances of victory look less likely. For me, it’s a no-brainer that we side with the 31-year-old Errol Spence, there’s no doubting the legacy of Manny Pacquiao, but the layoff is too much of a concern to put faith in him defeating Spence.
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