SPORTS SHORTS 164: WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT MANNY PACQUIAO VS. ERROL SPENCE FIGHT
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 07 Jul 2021
Senator Manny Pacquiao is now in Los Angeles for the final leg of his preparations against WBC and IBF champion Errol Spence come August 21 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Trainer Freddie Roach is very impressed in the first day of training at the Wild Card Boxing Club. Roach said: "After all these years, I'm still amazed at the great condition he's in when he comes to training camp. After traveling around the world yesterday, he put in a full day here, mitts, speed bag, shadow boxing, the works."
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"The best part was at the end, when he lifted his shirt to show me his six-pack and said, 'Freddie, I'm still here.'" Roach was quoted by Rappler.
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Spence told YouTube channel Barbershop Conversations: "I'm preparing my body to get into training camp mode and do the best that I can, to get into the best shape that I can, and be as strong as I can, to knock out Manny Pacquiao and send him off into retirement."
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Chris Algieri said on the DAZN Boxing Show: " I'll never count out Manny. He’s one of those guys. He has the one-punch power, he has that speed and he’s awkward. He sets traps, his off-beat rhythm. His ability to change throughout a fight. The best make adjustments."
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“The guys who can adjust are the guys who separate from themselves. Manny does that as good as anyone even at that advanced age. He’s got a punch, he’s got power,” Algieri added. “If he can walk Spence into these shots we could get an upset.”
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Oscar De La Hoya commented: “I love that fight, it’s a great matchup and I think Spence is a great fighter. As great as he is, I think Spence has to be careful.”
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In an interview with ESNews, Adrein Broner said:
“Errol gonna hurt him bad. Use his jab, use his reach and let Manny run into the left. I think he’s gonna run into a left hand. Manny’s gonna run into a left hand.”
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Keith Thurman told FightHype.com: "I do respect Pacquiao but I still do favor Spence. Size, youth and then ultimately, when was the last time we saw Pacquiao against a world class southpaw? But I’m not saying Pacquiao is out of it. He’s a legend for a reason.”
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Floyd Mayweather said in a video posted on ES News: “I just want to wish both of those guys nothing but the best. But of course I’m behind Errol Spence. I’m always behind my people first. Actually I will give him a call and give him some pointers."
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Justin Fortune told Ellie Seckbach of ESNews: “It’s a good fight. Spence is a hell of a fighter, but Pacquiao is on a different level. Pacquiao is a different animal. Spence is very, very good. I don’t think he’s as strong as Pacquiao. He’s strong, but he’s not ‘Manny strong.’ And I’m sure he ain’t ‘Manny fast.’ Manny is still incredibly fast."
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Fortune added: “[The fight] ends in a stoppage. It’s the volume of Pacquiao’s punches and the ferocity and the speed and the power. [Errol] won’t lay down but he’s going to take a beating. He’ll dish out as much as he gets. Pacquiao has been there before. It’s the biggest fight of the year. It dwarfs Wilder vs. Fury III.”
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Danny Garcia told Fighthype.com: “I think it’s a 50-50 fight, to be honest. I can see both of them knocking each other out. And I think this fight is not going to go the distance. I think somebody is getting knocked out. It could be either-or."
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Garcia continued: "If Manny fights the way he fought [Keith] Thurman, I believe he can stop Spence. But if Spence comes with his A-game, I think Spence can stop him with a body shot."
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Bob Arum in an interview with ES News stated: "I think I would never count out Manny Pacquiao but you have to make Spence a big favorite."
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Teofimo Lopez said told BoxingNews24: "Anything can happen, and Pacquiao has had a long rest too. I like both guys in that fight, and may the best man win, really. Manny has so much experience; he can get through anything. As long as they have the right plan, whatever they do, they’ll have that. They’ll be able to do all that."
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Lopez continued: "However, Errol Spence, you can’t take anything away from Errol Spence," he added. "He’s still young, he’s in his prime, and he knows how to place body shots. He’s very strong at that; he’s like a body snatcher."
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Nonito Donaire Sr. told FightHype: "When he fights a guy with speed and power, we'll see. I think Manny will knock him (Spence) out in the early rounds. Maybe in the first six rounds, that's the most. It's very dangerous for him because for me when he fought Mikey Garcia, Mikey was way too small for him. He didn't hurt Garcia."
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Donaire Sr. feels Pacquiao has extraordinary speed and power to beat the defending champion Spence. "I think before Spence can react, Manny can hit him right away because of the speed. Spence doesn't have the speed that Manny has," said Donaire Sr.
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Pacquiao admitted that Spence is a very tough opponent. "Errol Spence is a very difficult fight for me; perhaps the most difficult of my career," said Pacquiao on Rappler.com.
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"But I have been an underdog my whole life. I am used to that. It is why I work so hard. But the love and the prayers of my fellow Philippine citizens and Filipinos around the world sustain and inspire me. I fight for the glory of our nation and for underdogs everywhere."
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Paul recorded 32 points and nine assists in Phoenix Suns' 118-105 Game 1 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. He shot 12-for-19 from the field, including 4-for-7 from 3-point range. Paul became the first player with 30 points and 8 assists in an NBA Finals debut since Michael Jordan in 1991 according to Sports Center.
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He passes LeBron James as the oldest player in NBA Finals history to have 32 points and 9 assists in a game. Only Steve Nash and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 32 points and 9 assists in any playoff game at an older age than Paul according to Basketball Reference.
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Cynthia Carrion, president of the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines, said they declined the Philippine Olympic Committee’s offer for Carlos Yulo to be the country’s flag-bearer in the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony.
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This is to allow Yulo to take a rest on the eve of his competition where the world champion gymnast is considered a strong candidate to win at least two medals in the artistic gymnastics events.
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"They asked him and I said no. He has a competition the following day and he needs to rest. You know how heavy the flags are,” Carrion said during the PSA Sports Forum.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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