Could Manny Pacquiao be backing up as his fight with Spence comes closer and closer to becoming a reality? Surely, we have never seen Manny back up previously, so this is a shock to many as Manny now seems to have some excuses lined up for avoiding any confrontation with Terence Crawford. Tyron Woodley Drops Jake Paul ‘Racial’ Bombshell.
Let’s first start with the upcoming fight. The WBC and IBF welterweight champion Spence (27-0, 21 KOs) will face boxing’s only eight-division champion in Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) on Aug. 21 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on FOX Sports pay per view.
Manny stated: “I’m not like some other guys who are in it just for the money. Some other fighters challenge non-boxers just to get paid. I want to fight. I want to challenge the best. If I’m fighting for the money, then I would have picked some scrub to fight. Why would I try to fight an undefeated fighter if I’m chasing the paycheck? This is a real fight. I fight because this is my passion. I love beating undefeated fighters and bringing honor to my country.”
Switching over to Floyd Mayweather, he had previously stated about Crawford and Manny: “I picked among Terence Crawford, Errol Spence and Mikey Garcia. We then came up with the decision to fight Errol. But I thought a Crawford fight would also be good since he’s also undefeated. When I come and do an exhibition or come out and box and have some fun, I do it because I want to do it, not because I have to do it. Whereas Pacquiao at his age, it’s sad that he has to fight. I’m financially set and I want to let everybody know this.”
The 42-year-old Pacquiao has not fought since July 2019 and he said he’s training very hard right now as he stated: “I need to have stamina and good conditioning [for the Spence fight,] In this fight, you have to expect more action in the ring compared to my last three fights. I have to make sure that my stamina is enough so I don’t fall short in all 12 rounds.”
Will this be his last fight?
Manny weighs in: “It’s hard to say right now. It could be, but there could also be more fights after this,” he said. “I’m taking it one at a time. We can’t tell the future.”
Special thanks to Boxing Scene for the transcription.
