Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum warns former fighter Manny Pacquiao of facing a young tiger like Errol Spence.
“He won’t take that fight and shouldn’t take that fight because there’s only one winner and he can get hurt,” Arum told boxingscene during a press appearance in London on Thursday (Friday in Manila).
Arum had likewise expressed fears during the runup to Pacquiao’s showdown with previously unbeaten Keith Thurman last July but the Filipino star won by split decision.
“He’s 41 years of age. Now, he looked great with Thurman. But he took punches like he’s never taken before,” said the Harvard-educated lawyer who turns 88 on Dec. 8.
“A guy that age, who wants to pre president of a country, doesn’t wanna end up punch-drunk. If he can’t get (Floyd) Mayweather (in a rematch), he should retire. If he gets Mayweather, great. They do (a rematch), nobody gets hurt. But if he doesn’t get Mayweather, my hope would be that he retires.”
Pacquiao is attempting to return to the ring sometime in February or March of 2020 against either Danny or Mikey Garcia if a Mayweather doesn’t materialize.
Spence, 29, has a 25-0 record with 21 KOs and is tall at 5-10. Pacquiao, holder of a 62-7-2 mark with 39 KOs, is just 5-6.
Next month, Spence battles former Pacquiao sparmate Shawn Porter in a welterweight clash for his International Boxing Federation and Porter’s World Boxing Council 147-lb titles.
Spence has expressed his desire to meet Pacquiao should he gets past Porter.
Pacquiao, who has won an unprecedented eight world titles, turned professional in 1994. (Nick Giongco)
