Errol Spence Jr. has labeled Manny Pacquiao over the hill just six months after the welterweight champion should have faced the Filipino legend.
Pacquiao signed on to fight Spence in August of 2021. But when Spence got ruled out with an eye injury, Yordenis Ugas stepped in.
Ugas defeated Pacquiao via a points win which Spence believes would have been far more one-sided if he had been in the ring.
“This is going to be a great fight. Ugas always come to compete. With all respect to Pacquiao, I’m a far different fighter than Pacquiao, and at this point, I’m a better fighter.
“You keep bringing up Pacquiao, but that’s like Larry Holmes fighting Ali [mismatch] or Terry Norris beating up Sugar Ray Leonard. Or [Marcos] Maidana [when he was] beating up Erik Morales.
“Pacquiao is way past his prime. It was the passing of the torch to myself, but I missed the opportunity, so I’m just going to put on a great performance.
“Ugas is a real warrior, but I’m hungry too. I’m not letting this opportunity pass by me.
“I’m going to put on a great performance for my crowd.”
"Ya'll keep bringing up Pacquiao."@ErrolSpenceJr ????#SpenceUgas pic.twitter.com/uRtceu5bTF
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) March 2, 2022
ERROL SPENCE JR CHANCE
Spence has the chance to add the WBA version to his WBC and IBF titles this April. ‘The Truth’ is an overwhelming favorite to do so in Texas.
With Manny Pacquiao retiring after the Ugas fight, Spence will never get that chance again as the spoils went to the man he now faces in a unification.
Trainer Derrick James added on Ugas: “Fighters get better when they fight great opponents.
“You’re going to see the best of Errol Spence Jr. on April 16 because Ugas is going to bring it out of him.
“Errol is looking phenomenal in the gym, and he’s only getting better. We’re really looking forward to the challenge that Ugas will present.
“Yordenis Ugas deserves this fight. He’s proven it from his journey defecting to the U.S., to him coming back to the sport as a late replacement opponent and then fighting all the way back to become champion.
“The night he fought Pacquiao, I told Ugas that the stage was set for him and that he should go make the best of it. That’s exactly what he did, and now we’re here.”
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