One cannot say that Manny Pacquiao is afraid of a challenge.
The Filipino icon announced on social media that he will face 147-pound champion Errol Spence Jr. in a pay-per-view bout on Aug. 21 in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) surprised many by outpointing Keith Thurman to win the WBA welterweight title in July 2019. However, that will have been more than two years ago and he’s now 42.
Plus, Spence (27-0, 21 KOs) is naturally bigger than Pacquiao and one of the three or four best fighters in the world pound for pound.
Pacquiao was elevated to “champion in recess” because of his inactivity and was replaced as the sanctioning body’s main titleholder by Yordenis Ugas.
“Done deal, I’ll see y’all in Vegas for the biggest fight of the year,” Spence wrote on Instagram.
Pacquiao simply posted an image that included the wording, “Pacquiao vs. Spence, August 21, 2021, Las Vegas, Nevada.”
A specific site has not been announced.
Pacquiao is an eight-division titleholder. Spence is coming off a wide decision over Danny Garcia in December, his fifth successful title defense. He holds the IBF and WBC belts.
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