Pacquiao says Spence could be the toughest fight of his life

Eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao knows all too well that WBC and IBF world welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. could end up being the toughest fight of his life.

The 42-year-old Pacquiao, who is deemed as an underdog in the upcoming bout, will lock horns against the unbeaten Spence on August 21 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, USA.

“Errol Spence is a very difficult fight for me; perhaps the most difficult of my career, but I have been an underdog my whole life. I am used to that.  It is why I work so hard,” said Pacquiao.

“But the love and the prayers of my fellow Philippine citizens and Filipinos around the world sustain and inspire me.  I fight for the glory of our nation and for underdogs everywhere.”

Pacquiao began his Los Angeles training camp this Tuesday (PHL time) where he did his morning run at the Pan Pacific Park before he headed to the Wild Card Gym for his boxing workout in the afternoon.

The Filipino boxing icon had been training with Buboy Fernandez in General Santos City before he flew to the USA and Freddie Roach could not be more pleased with the result when Team Pacquiao arrived.

“If this is how Manny hits with jet lag, I may need to get new gloves with thicker padding for our next sessions. He was incredibly sharp for his first day. He hit hard with good power,” said the Hall of Fame trainer.

“After all these years, I’m still amazed at the great condition he’s in when he comes to training camp,” he added.

“After traveling around the world yesterday, he put in a full day here – mitts, speed bag, shadow boxing – the works. The best part was at the end when he lifted his shirt to show me his six-pack and said, Freddie, I’m still here.”

—JM Siasat/JMB, GMA News