Spence trainer: Errol has to beat Pacquiao better than anybody else
FILE – Errol Spence Jr. after a unanimous decision against Danny Garcia during their WBC & IBF World Welterweight Championship fight at AT&T Stadium on December 05, 2020 in Arlington, Texas. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images/AFP
MANILA, Philippines—Errol Spence Jr.’s trainer Derrick James is pushing his ward to be a champion in every sense of the word and give Manny Pacquiao the worst loss of his illustrious career.
Talking at the PBC Podcast, James said he expects Spence to beat Pacquiao in the most commanding way possible.
“Damn if you do, damn if you don’t. I think he has to show up and show out. I think he has to be phenomenal and beat Manny better than anybody else who has done it,” said James, who admitted that they expect to go up against the best version of Pacquiao come fight night on August 21.
Spence, the IBF and WBC welterweight champion, holds a perfect 27-0 record and is coming off a strong unanimous decision win over Danny Garcia in December 2020.
If Spence is to heed James’ instruction, he needs more than a unanimous decision win and snap the string of three fights that have ended via the judges’ cards.
Spence’s last knockout win was in June 2018 when he stopped Carlos Ocampo in the first round to defend his IBF title.
Pacquiao (62-7-2), meanwhile, last lost via knockout in 2012 when he absorbed a beautiful right overhand from rival Juan Manuel Marquez in the sixth round.
Of Pacquiao’s seven losses, three were via knockouts with his loss to Marquez the only one happening in the 21st century. The others were to Boonsai Sangsurat in September 1999 against and Rustico Torrecampo in February 1996.
“I think Manny Pacquiao is a very dangerous fighter and he’s a guy who has nothing to lose,” said James. “Pacquiao, he’s winning I mean he’s a in a pay-per-view fight. There ain’t a fight this big since Pacquiao versus [Floyd] Mayweather.”
“He’s winning either way, I believe his very dangerous. I believe that he’s very strong, very powerful, very athletic, he has a great team behind him. That team behind him means a lot.”
