With the WBC and IBF welterweight world title clash between champion Errol ‘The Truth’ Spence Jr 27-0 (21) and challenger Manny Pacquiao 62-7-2 (39) looming, two boxing heavyweights have weighed in on the result.
The all-southpaw bout will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 21.
Retired former world champion turned ESPN pundit Timothy Bradley fought a memorable trilogy with Filipino superstar Pacquiao across a four-year period from 2012 to 2016. Bradley went 1-2 against Pacquiao, boxing 36 rounds against the 42-year-old sure-fire future Hall of Famer.
Bradley believes Spence’s habit of taking a few rounds to settle into his fights could cause him problems against the fast-starting Pacquiao, who decked previously undefeated American Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman 29-1 (22) in the opening round of their WBA welterweight title fight in his last bout two years ago before going on to win a split decision.
“It just all depends on what he has left. If you had a younger Pacquiao, I think he would be the favourite in this fight,” Bradley said to Fight Hub TV.
“But you have a younger Errol Spence, bigger guy, stronger guy.
“If he can control the distance on the outside and not allow him to get on the inside and close the gap on him quickly, he has a really good chance at beating and defeating Manny Pacquiao. Quite easily.
“But Manny’s going to come out very quickly. He’s going to test him early. Errol Spence takes a little time to warm up a bit.”
Meanwhile, WBA featherweight champion Leo Santa Cruz 37-2-1 (19) believes Pacquiao – who won his first world title at flyweight a remarkable 23 years ago – still has enough left in the tank to get the job done.
If Pacquiao is victorious, Santa Cruz has no reservation in designating him the best boxer of all time.
“Pacquiao still has it. He’s a legend and he beat Keith Thurman not long ago and I think he has a great chance against Spence,” Santa Cruz said to Fino Boxing.
“Spence is a great fighter and it’s going to be a hard fight for both.
“I think he wants to prove more. He wants to prove he can beat the young guys. He’s old already and he’s beating young guys.
“If he beats Spence, he’s going to be the best ever on the planet because who does that and is old already with younger fighters like Thurman and Spence? It’ll be really great.”
Pacquiao himself admitted Spence will likely be one of the hardest tests of his lengthy career.
“Errol Spence is a very difficult fight for me; perhaps the most difficult of my career,” he said.
“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.”
