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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Boxing devider Former Pacquiao foes favor Spence

Former Pacquiao foes favor Spence

Published May 27, 2021 04:48 pm

Manny Pacquiao and Errol Spence Jr. (Photo from Manny Pacquiao'' Twitter account)

Former opponents of Manny Pacquiao have added their voice to the Filipino boxing legend's mega-bout against unified WBC and IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. on August 21.

Both Jessie Vargas and Timothy Bradley Jr. believe that while it is a good fight to watch, Spence would gain the upper hand over the eight-division world boxing champion.

For Vargas, Pacquiao is taking a "big risk" for facing the top guy in his division, not to mention the age difference between the two welterweights.

"Manny's a little older but still a champion, he's still at peak but y'know, Errol Spence seems like younger and stronger and he's in his prime. It might be a dangerous fight for Manny Pacquiao," Vargas, who lost to Pacquiao in November 2016, told FightHype. "I think Manny Pacquiao's gonna have to give it all he has one last shot, y'know what I mean? For him to win. But Spence is no joke, he's the real deal."

Bradley, who fought Pacquiao in a trilogy in 2012, 2014, and 2016, commended Pacquiao's tenacity at age 42 but still chose the 31-year-old Spence as the winner.

"Pacquiao's a tough guy man. 42-year-old, been out of the ring for some time now but Errol Spence is a beast," said Bradley in a separate interview with FightHub. "He got that jab, control the distance, and knows how to control everything."

Pacquiao, who is also a senator in the Philippines, has been inactive since scoring a split decision win over Keith Thurman in July 2019 to improve at 62-7-2 record on top of 39 knockouts.

Due to his inactivity, Pacquiao got stripped of his super WBA welterweight belt and was declared "champion in recess."

READ: Fortune: Spence is a hell of a fighter but Pacquiao is on different level

The undefeated Spence, for his part, has dominated 27 of his matches with 21 KOs with the latest coming from a unanimous decision win over Danny Garcy in December last year.

The final venue has yet to be announced but the mega-bout is set in Las Vegas, Nevada.

READ: Manny Pacquiao wants 70,000-seater Allegiant Stadium for comeback fight vs Errol Spence

Related Tags

Errol Spence Jr. Errol Spence timothy bradley jr. jessie vargas Manny Pacquiao
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