LOS ANGELES: Manny Pacquiao and Errol Spence Jr. formally announced Sunday that they will fight Aug. 21 in a bout pitting an eight-division world champion against one of the sport’s most dominant current champions.
Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) and Spence (27-0, 21 KOs) will fight for Spence’s WBC and IBF welterweight titles when they meet at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The 42-year-old Pacquiao is a senator in his native Philippines. He hasn’t fought since July 2019, when he beat Keith Thurman by split decision for his third consecutive victory.
At a news conference in Los Angeles, Pacquiao admitted he is taking a significant risk in returning against one of the top active fighters in boxing. Pacquiao said he could have picked “a much easier fight compared to Errol Spence” for his comeback bout, but chose to take on the unbeaten 147-pound champion “because I want to give a good fight to the fans. I want a real fight.”
The 31-year-old Spence will be in the ring for only the second time since October 2019, when he survived a single-car crash in which he was ejected from his Ferrari 488 Spider. He returned last December in his native Dallas area with a unanimous decision over Danny Garcia.
Pacquiao has been stopped just once since 1999, but Spence said he won’t enter the ring looking for a highlight-reel knockout. Spence is 3 1/2 inches taller than Pacquiao, and his frame was significantly larger during their ceremonial faceoff.
“I definitely have the ability to finish him,” Spence said. “But for me, it’s about winning the fight.”
The pay-per-view event will be telecast by Fox Sports.
Manny Pacquiao announces Aug. 21 fight with Errol Spence Jr
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Manny Pacquiao announces Aug. 21 fight with Errol Spence Jr
- The 42-year-old Pacquiao is a senator in his native Philippines
- The 31-year-old Spence will be in the ring for only the second time since October 2019
Morocco Coach Dismisses Aguerd injury talk, backs Ait Boudlal ahead of Mali test
- “Who told you Aguerd is injured? He’s training as usual and has no problems,” Regragui told reporters
- He confirmed captain Romain Saiss will miss the game with a muscle injury
RABAT: Morocco coach Walid Regragui has dismissed reports that defender Nayef Aguerd is injured, saying the center back was fit and ready for Friday’s Africa Cup of Nations Group A clash against Mali.
“Who told you Aguerd is injured? He’s training as usual and has no problems,” Regragui told reporters.
Regragui confirmed captain Romain Saiss will miss the game with a muscle injury sustained against Comoros in their tournament opener, while full back Achraf Hakimi, recently crowned African Player of the Year, is recovering from an ankle problem sustained with Paris St. Germain last month and could feature briefly. “Hakimi is doing well and we’ll make the best decision for him,” Regragui said. The coach also heaped praise on 19-year-old defender Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, calling him “a great talent.”
“I’ve been following him for years. I called him up a year and a half ago when he was a substitute at Rennes and people criticized me. Today everyone is praising him – that shows our vision is long-term,” Regragui said. “We must not burn the player. We’ll use him at the right time. We’ll see if he starts tomorrow or comes in later.”
Ait Boudlal echoed his coach’s confidence.
“We know the responsibility we carry. Every game is tough and requires full concentration. We listen carefully to the coach’s instructions and aim to deliver a performance that meets fans’ expectations,” he said.
Morocco opened the tournament with a 2-0 win over Comoros and will secure qualification with victory over Mali at Rabat’s Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
“It will be a tough match against a strong team,” Regragui added.
