Although it appears that Errol Spence is a resounding favourite for his August 21st clash with boxing legend, Manny Pacquiao, the Filipino fighter does have his backers.
At the age of 42, Pacquiao is maintaining his incredible act of repeatedly turning back the clock and he’ll need to rewind it to his devastating prime if he’s to end the undefeated record of the talented Texan.
One boxer who’s fully aware of what Pacquiao looks like at his best is Ricky Hatton. In 2009, the popular Mancunian felt the all the force Pacquiao possesses as he was brutally knocked out in two rounds.
The contest brought temporary closure to Hatton’s career, but for Pacquiao, it was a result that would platform him into bigger fights against the likes of Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley.
Hatton, who’s still involved in the sport as the manager of his son, Campbell, refuses to dismiss his old rival’s chances against Spence.
“He’s a very clever person,” said Hatton in his Metro column. “Traditionally boxers don’t know when to call it a day.
“They don’t know when to pick the right time to hang their gloves up but you would like to think he is clever enough to do that and the fact that he is accepting this fight only means he must feel he is still capable of mixing it up at that level.
“The one thing is, he is absolutely going to go down as one of the greatest of all time but we don’t want to see him get hurt. But you have got to put faith in him and the team behind him and assume they are clever enough to know what they are doing."
Hatton continued, “Compared to Keith Thurman who Pacquiao beat in 2019, Spence is a little bit sharper, a little bit crisper in what he does.
“You would think that the reflexes might be starting to go a bit on Manny Pacquiao. But every now and again you get the odd freak. Bernard Hopkins went onto become a world champion at 48!
“We can’t point out Manny Pacquiao’s age and say he can’t do it. We always worry about these things happening because no one likes to see fighters who we have so much admiration for go in there and get hurt.
“If you are still performing at the highest level why not? But he will certainly have to raise his game again against Spence, he is a hell of a fighter."