Pacquiao aims to hand Spence first career loss
By Leo Reyes
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 23 May 2021
After almost two years of inactivity, eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao returns to the ring as he aims to dethrone unified welterweight champion Errol Spence and hand him his first career loss in 27 pro fights.
Pacquiao, who fought unbeaten welterweight champ Keith Thurman in 2019 to a scintillating split decision win in Las Vegas, will be 42 years-old when he confronts Spence in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 21, 2021. By then it will be more than two years since he fought Thurman in July 2019.
Earlier this month Pacquiao was entertaining the idea of facing Mikey Garcia, a former welterweight challenger and brother of ex-lightweight champ and popular trainer Robert Garcia, but negotiations failed to gain traction due to lack of interest from boxing fans which could affect the financial viability of the match.
Garcia was unbeaten in his pro career until he lost via unanimous decision against Errol Spence in a welterweight championship fight last March 16, 2019 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington Texas. Garcia bounced back after losing to Spence by beating ex-Pacquiao foe Jessie Vargas via a unanimous decision last Feb. 29, 2020 in San Francisco, CA.
Apart from Garcia and Spence, Pacquiao was also reported to have explored the possibility of facing Terence Crawford, who is fighting under Bob Arum’s Top Rank Boxing. But initial talks failed to take off due financial constraints.
A first-term senator in the Philippines, Pacquiao keeps fit during his nearly two years of inactivity with his routine exercise, jogging and playing basketball.
For his part, Spence, who is 11 years younger than Pacquiao, has fought 27 times in his pro career. He has yet to lose a fight. He won 21 of his fights via KO.
Like Pacquiao, Spence is a southpaw. He stands 5’9+1/2” with a reach of 72” against Pacquiao’s 5’6” height and a reach of 67.”
In October 2019, Spence figured in a vehicular accident that almost cost him his life. The night before the accident, Spence was reported to have drunk alcohol heavily which led to the terrible accident that landed him in a hospital ICU. Luckily, he survived without broken bones.
Before his comeback fight, fans have been speculating about his health as a result of the accident but Spence has already fought once and it appears that the incident did not bother him at all.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Leo Reyes.
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