ni Gerard Peter - @Sports | February 24, 2021
Naniniwala ang kilalang strength and conditioning coach na si Justin Fortune na magagawang padapain ni eight-division world champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao si unified WBC/IBF welterweight champion Errol “Truth” Spence Jr, sakaling mapagbigyan ng tadhanang magharap sa ibabaw ng ring sa hinaharap.
Magda-dalawang taon ng hindi lumalaban ang 42-anyos na si Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39KOs) sapol ng mapanalunan nito ang World Boxing Association (WBA) [super] welterweight title kay Keith “One Time” Thurman sa pamamagitan ng split decision nung Hulyo, 2019, ngunit tinitiyak nitong nananatiling isa sa mga pinakamalulupit na kampeon ang kalidad ng pakikipaglaban ni Pacman sa ibabaw ng ring.
“You put Spence in there with someone like Pacquiao now, Pacquiao obliterates him, even a 42-years-old,” pahayag ni Fortune sa The Sun. “He's still the number guy and he has been the champion for the last 18 years, that in itself is a phenomenal f----- feat as an athlete in sport. Manny's too fast and too strong, he uses too many angles.”
Kumbinsido ang 55-anyos na Australian-born na hindi na tulad ng dati ang 3-time US National championship gold medalist matapos ang matinding car accident na nasangkutan nito nung Oktubre 2019 sa Dallas, Texas, kung saan nagtamo ito facial lacerations at ilang injuries. Kinailangan ng ilang buwan upang makamit ng 30-anyos mula Long Island, New York ang kabuuang paggaling ng kanyang mga injuries, na masuwerte namang walang nakuhang malalang injuries sa naturang aksidente.
Makikinita na umano sa nagdaang laban ni Spence (27-0, 21KOs) ang pagbabago sa laban at mga suntok nito kay dating two-division world titlist Danny “Swift” Garcia nung Disyembre 5, 2020 sa AT&T Stadium sa Arlington, Texas, na nagresulta sa unanimous decision pabor sa nagdedepensang kampeon, na nag-iba na ang mga lakas ng patama, kung saan umabot 12-round decision ang laban.
“Spence is a great fighter and a good champion, but he's not the same guy that he was before, not at all. We saw that when he fought Danny Garcia. Everyone raves about how hard Spence punches, well Danny Garcia came through 12 rounds. Danny Garcia also never pulled the trigger that night, or else Danny would probably have beaten him, I think,” ekslpika ni Fortune.