MANNY PACQUIAO gives away a lot of size to Errol Spence Jr. but that’s no guarantee the unified world welterweight champion could escape with the victory in their August 21 fight in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Not even age—Pacquiao is 42 and Spence is 31—could be a major factor in the duel.
“It’s a very, very tough job because Errol Spence is so big, but Manny Pacquiao has the style that most people find difficult to defend because he moves from side to side,” Top Rank boss Bob Arum told BusinessMirror on Friday. “Maybe that could confuse Spence and lead to Manny’s victory.”
Pacquiao stands 5-foot-6 with a 67-inch reach, a disadvantage to the 5-foot-9 Spence whose reach is measured at 72 inches.
The eight-division Filipino boxing icon has a 62-7-2 win-loss-draw record with 39 knockouts, while the International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Council Spence is unbeaten in 27 fights with 21 knockouts.
Pacquiao last fought as a 40-year-old in July 2019, beating then erstwhile undefeated Keith Thurman via his split decision at the MGM Grand also in Las Vegas.
“Manny has a chance against anybody, you just can’t simply count him out,” Arum said. “He is giving away a lot of size to Spence, but you know, again, every time you count Manny Pacquiao out, he surprises you.”
Arum, meanwhile, hailed 38-year-old Nonito Donaire Jr.’s technical knockout victory over Frenchman Nordine Oubaali last Sunday for the WBC bantamweight crown.
“I don’t think that was an upset. I thought Donaire would win that fight,” he said. “Donaire has been a great fighter for years, he becomes smarter as he gets older, a terrific fighter, just exactly like fine wine.”