Manny Pacquiao, Errol Spence Agree to Huge Fight

Spence boasts a 27-0 record with 21 knockouts and has dominated the welterweight division since knocking out Kell Brook in May of 2017. He subsequently bested Lamont Peterson, Carlos Ocampo, Mikey Garcia and Shawn Porter before taking a unanimous decision victory over Danny Garcia in December. He currently ranks fifth on The Ring’s list of best pound-for-pound fighters in the world and ranks as the top welterweight.

Pacquiao is now 42 and last fought Keith Thurman on July 20, 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic likely wiped out any plans he had to fight in 2020. He has won three bouts in a row after losing a questionable decision to Jeff Horn in Australia back in 2017.

Against the previously unbeaten Thurman, Pacquiao was the busier fighter, though also the less accurate. He dominated the first five rounds, knocking Thurman down in the first. Pacquiao also landed a vicious body shot in the 10th round that left Thurman hobbled. In the end he earned a split-decision victory, with cards going 115-112 twice for Pacquiao and 114-113 for Thurman.

Spence will be a handful for the aging Pacquiao. He’s a battle-tested welterweight in his prime. The Filipino southpaw will have to be far more accurate than he was against Thurman to earn a victory.

Still, no matter how it ends, this should be the kind of great, high-profile matchup boxing fans crave.