LAS VEGAS (August 6, 2021) – WBA Welterweight World Champion Yordenis Ugás shared his feelings on being “the most avoided fighter in the division” as he previewed his upcoming showdown against Argentina’s Fabian Maidana which serves the FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View co-main event on Saturday, August 21 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Ugás makes his first world title defense leading up to the highly-anticipated main event between eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao and unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. The Olympic bronze medalist from Cuba added his name to the current crop of welterweight world champions when his WBA title was elevated following a victory over Abel Ramos in 2020.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, MP Promotions and Man Down Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased through t-mobilearena.com and axs.com.

Here is what Ugas had to say about the welterweight division, training camp in Las Vegas, Maidana and more:

On his upcoming matchup with Fabian Maidana:

“Fabian Maidana is a really good fighter who I have been aware of for a while. It is very obvious to fight fans that I’m the most avoided fighter in the division, so I want to thank Maidana for taking this fight. A lot of the big-name fighters don’t want to give me a chance. I still have a lot to prove and fans will see the desire in me when I step in the ring with Maidana.”

On his recent training camp with coach Ismael Salas:

“Training in Las Vegas with Ismael Salas is something I cherish, because Salas and I are so close. We have great chemistry, and the gym has a family atmosphere. We have a lot of high-level amateurs, Olympians, and really good pros in the gym, and that takes training camp to the next level. I had the perfect sparring for this camp and am ready to fight.”

On defending his WBA world title:

“As everyone knows, I want to defend my WBA world title against any-and-all challengers, but it seems not many of the top fighters are willing to fight me, even though I have a world title. I take pride in being a world champion, and tremendous respect for the WBA. I will fight anyone they mandate as my number one contender. I am the boogeyman of the division and have to be a world champion to get fighters to fight me, and even then, I still can’t get the big fights. So, I take a lot of pride in defending my belt.”

On what a win will do for his career:

“A win puts me that much closer to getting the winner of Pacquiao vs. Spence Jr., a rematch with Shawn Porter, a fight with Terence Crawford, or a bout with Keith Thurman. These are the fighters I hope I get to face in the future as I am looking to secure a legacy with my career, and I want to prove that I am the best welterweight in all of boxing.”

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ABOUT PACQUIAO VS. SPENCE JR.
Pacquiao vs. Spence Jr. will see eight-division world champion and Philippine Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao face unified WBC and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. in the blockbuster FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View main event on Saturday, August 21 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features WBA Welterweight World Champion Yordenis Ugás squaring off against Argentina’s Fabián “TNT” Maidana in the co-main event, while former world champions and all-action brawlers Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero and “Vicious” Víctor Ortiz will meet in a 10-round welterweight duel. Kicking off the pay-per-view at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, unbeaten featherweight contender Mark Magsayo battles former world champion Julio Ceja in a 10-round attraction.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

LOS ANGELES (August 4, 2021) – Eight-division world champion and Philippine Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao held a media workout that streamed live on the Premier Boxing Champions YouTube channel Wednesday, as he prepares to take on unified WBC and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. headlining a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, August 21 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The replay of the live streaming workout can be watched in its entirety HERE. Already a legend in the sport, Pacquiao seeks one more monumental win on August 21 to add to his first ballot Hall of Fame resume.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, MP Promotions and Man Down Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased through t-mobilearena.com and axs.com.

Here is what Pacquiao, Freddie Roach and Buboy Fernandez had to say Wednesday:

MANNY PACQUIAO

“I’m expecting a good fight. Spence is an aggressive fighter and I know that we can create a lot of action in the ring for all of the fans watching. I have lots of advantages in this fight. My speed and power, along with my strategy and experience, are all advantages for me.

“I never imagined being at this point now, when I started my career. Especially to be here now and still fighting the best. It’s truly a gift that I’ve received.

“It’s been two years since I’ve been in the ring and it was good for me to have that rest. It helped my body and my mind a lot. This time around, I’m as excited as ever and feeling like I’m young again.

“I could have fought several easy opponents. I picked the best opponent because I want to add more to my legacy and accomplishments. I have to prove that I’m not done yet.

“We have a strategy that we know how to use against a southpaw. He wants to fight toe-to-toe and that’s going to be to my advantage. We’re prepared for anything. If he wants to use his reach advantage instead, we are ready.

“My family is so supportive of me, because they know that I want to fight and bring honor to my country. At the same time, I’m also here to show for myself that I can still do it at 42-years-old.

“This could be my last fight, or there could be more. Like I’ve always said, it’s one at a time. After the fight, I’ll talk about the plan and see if there’s another fight coming.

“I’m happy to have been doing this for so long with the same coaching staff. I know that they’re happy with my preparations for this fight. The fire in training is still there. It’s the same as it’s been these last 15 years.

“I know my career will not last forever, that’s why I’m starting to help the young fighters in this sport who want to follow in my footsteps. It’s very important to me at this point in my career.”

FREDDIE ROACH

“We took this fight because we think that Errol Spence Jr. is one of the best fighters out there. I’ve talked with Manny throughout the years and he’s always said that he wants to be the best at what he does. There’s no sense in getting in there with some popular fighter who’s no good. We want to fight the best. I congratulated Many when he chose to fight Errol.

“Being out of the ring for a little while can go either way with someone like Manny. The thing is, he’s working out all the time. He shows me everything that he’s up to when he’s in the Philippines and I just give him little adjustments. When he shows up here, he’s ready to go.

“He had probably his best sparring yesterday, we went ten rounds and he got two knockdowns. It was the old Manny Pacquiao from 10 years ago. He’s not as big of a puncher usually at welterweight, but those knockdowns yesterday were a great boost for him.

“Spence is a good boxer, but he’s a very good puncher. We know that when we get inside, we have to be smart getting back outside. It has to be quick combinations and then out right away.

“I told Manny that knocking down Keith Thurman early gave him a lot of momentum in that fight and I’d like to see that again in this fight. He knows that he has to use his speed to do that. He understands completely what I want.

“Manny Pacquiao has always loved to fight southpaws. He understands how they work and what they want to do. That’s really one of the big reasons we took this fight.

“I think Manny is going to out box Spence. His footspeed is unbelievable and much better than his opponent’s. Spence follows you around and is heavy on his feet. He seems very set to the ground. Manny’s speed will overwhelm him. I’m really happy with the game plan so far.”

BUBOY FERNANDEZ

“I was very excited when I heard about this fight because Errol Spence Jr. is a great fighter. I was only surprised because Manny hasn’t fought in two years. But I knew right away that this is going to be an exciting fight.

“Obviously there is a different Manny because of his age, but his mind is always on the sport. Before we arrived in the United States, we had already been sparring and training in the Philippines.

“The team has been very happy with Manny’s performance in camp. The conditioning is going perfectly and we just need to continue. This is going to be 100% Manny Pacquiao on August 21.

“I can’t decide if this is going to be Manny’s last fight. Only he can decide if he wants to continue his legacy or not. If it were up to me, I’d want him to fight one more time in the Philippines for his people. It’s all up to Manny though.

“I have respect for Errol Spence Jr. He’s a good fighter and a world champion. We know we can’t underestimate him. He’s an intelligent fighter, so we know Manny has to be 100%. I think this is going to end up being a great toe-to-toe fight.”

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ABOUT PACQUIAO VS. SPENCE JR.
Pacquiao vs. Spence will see eight-division world champion and Philippine Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao face unified WBC and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. in the blockbuster FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View main event on Saturday, August 21 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features WBA Welterweight World Champion Yordenis Ugás squaring off against Argentina’s Fabián “TNT” Maidana in the co-main event, while former world champions and all-action brawlers Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero and “Vicious” Víctor Ortiz will meet in a 10-round welterweight duel. Kicking off the pay-per-view at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, unbeaten featherweight contender Mark Magsayo battles former world champion Julio Ceja in a 10-round attraction.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

LAS VEGAS (August 3, 2021) – Three exciting matchups have been added to the stacked FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View undercard headlined by eight-division world champion and Philippine Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao facing unified WBC and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. on Saturday, August 21 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

WBA Welterweight World Champion Yordenis Ugás will square off against Argentina’s Fabián “TNT” Maidana in the co-main event, while former world champions and all-action brawlers Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero and “Vicious” Víctor Ortiz will meet in a 10-round welterweight duel. Kicking off the pay-per-view at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, unbeaten featherweight contender Mark Magsayo battles former world champion Julio Ceja in a 10-round attraction.

“This is a fantastic pay-per-view undercard that is worthy of the highly-anticipated main event between Manny Pacquiao and Errol Spence Jr.,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Yordenis Ugás has established himself as an elite fighter in the star-studded welterweight division, and he will have to make sure he comes at his best for the always tough Argentine, Fabián Maidana. Robert Guerrero vs. Víctor Ortiz is a real treat for boxing fans as two of the sport’s most exciting veterans will battle looking to prove themselves ready for one more run at the world title. And in the opening bout, the extremely promising featherweight contender Mark Magsayo of the Philippines will be up against his stiffest test to date in the former champion Julio Ceja.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, MP Promotions and Man Down Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased through t-mobilearena.com and axs.com.

The 35-year-old Ugás (26-4, 12 KOs) has established himself as an elite welterweight since returning from a layoff in 2016, and was elevated to world champion in January after winning a WBA belt by defeating Abel Ramos last September. Ugás, who is from Santiago, Cuba and now lives in Miami, Florida, was on an eight-fight winning streak before losing a narrow split-decision to Shawn Porter in a world title fight in March 2019. The Olympic bronze medalist trains in Las Vegas and owns victories over then undefeated fighters Jamal James, Omar Figueroa Jr. and Bryant Perrella, plus veteran contenders Thomas Dulorme and Ray Robinson.

“Everyone knows I’m a warrior and will fight anyone on any given day, so when they presented me with this fight against Fabián Maidana, I accepted with no hesitation,” said Ugás. “I’ll be defending my WBA title and the world will see why I am must-see T.V. This will be one of the best FOX Sports PBC pay-per-view events in recent history with some of the biggest names in boxing, all fighters who are known for leaving it all in the ring. I know one thing for sure, I’ll be letting my hands fly with bad intentions on August 21. I also want to dedicate this fight to all the brave men, women and children who are fighting for their freedom in Cuba. Patria y Vida!”

Born in Santa Fe, Argentina, Maidana (18-1, 13 KOs) will look to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, former two division champion Marcos Maidana, and become the latest Argentine world champion on August 21. The 29-year-old was unbeaten in his first 16 pro fights, capping off that run with a knockout of Andrey Klimov in July 2018. Since dropping a January 2019 decision to Jaider Parra, Maidana has bounced back with a knockout of Ramses Agaton in September 2019 and a 10-round decision victory over Carlos Cordoba in April of this year.

“This is the opportunity I’ve been waiting for all my life,” said Maidana. “I’m thrilled to be part of such a huge fight card. I’m a man of few words, so all I can tell you is that Ugas is a great fighter but you guys will see the ‘TNT’ I have in each hand exploding on Ugas’ face on August 21.”

Guerrero (36-6-1, 20 KOs) is a three-time world champion who has won world titles at featherweight and super featherweight, and has fought a stacked lineup of elite fighters, including Floyd Mayweather, during a superb career. The Gilroy, California native returned from a 2017 defeat to Omar Figueroa Jr. to win his last three contests. After stopping Adam Mates in December 2018 and Hevinson Herrera in March 2019, Guerrero most recently won a unanimous decision over Gerald Thomas in September 2019.

“It’s great to be back in the ring, especially on a big card like Pacquiao vs. Spence,” said Guerrero. “It was an honor to kick off the first PBC fight on network television and here I am once again, ready to put on a spectacular show for the fans. Víctor Ortiz and I were always on a collision course to fight, and now it’s finally happening. One thing I know for sure, we are going to throw blows and the fans are going to see an all-out war. My time out of the ring has only fueled my desire to give the fans a great fight. Everyone should order this pay-per-view and get their popcorn ready, because it’s going to be fireworks from top to bottom.”

Ortiz (32-6-3, 25 KOs), a former 147-pound champion, will return to the ring for the first time since a February 2018 draw against two-division champion Devon Alexander. The 34-year-old native of Garden City, Kansas, who now lives in Ventura, California, has faced some of the top names in the 147-pound division during his career. Ortiz won the welterweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Andre Berto in April 2011, before losing the title to Floyd Mayweather.

“I am thrilled to be back in the ring on this Pacquiao vs. Spence Jr. pay-per-view undercard August 21,” said Ortiz. “Robert Guerrero is a legend who I’ve always admired. I look forward to competing against him and giving fans the toe-to-toe battle they’re expecting. I’ve had a great camp and I’m so excited to be part of this enormous event. Thank you to everyone who has supported me, I’m ready to make history again!”

The Filipino sensation Magsayo (22-0, 15 KOs) fights out of Pasig City, Metro Manila and most recently knocked out Pablo Cruz in four rounds in April 2021, following his U.S. televised debut in October 2020 that saw him defeat Rigoberto Hermosillo on FS1. The 26-year-old fights in the U.S. for the fifth time overall on August 21 and against his toughest competition to date in the former champion Ceja. Magsayo owns 12-round decision victories over Shoto Hayashi and Jose Robles Olvera, and a sixth-round stoppage of former title challenger Chris Avalos.

“This is going to be a very good matchup against a world class fighter in Ceja,” said Magsayo. “I have been waiting for a chance like this and I am thankful to my whole team for this opportunity. It’s a dream come true to be on the undercard of my number one idol, Senator Manny Pacquiao. On August 21, I’m going to show people what I can do. This is going to be a classic Philippines vs. Mexico war.”

A former super bantamweight champion, Ceja (32-4-1, 28 KOs) will move up to featherweight as he seeks an opportunity to capture a championship in a second division. Ceja’s 2019 saw him engage in two action-packed battles, dropping a June contest to former champion Guillermo Rigondeaux and most recently fighting unbeaten super bantamweight champion Brandon Figueroa to a draw in November. The 28-year-old captured his 122-pound title with a stoppage of Hugo Ruiz in 2015, and has also challenged for a bantamweight title throughout his career.

“I’m back and I’m more than ready to return to the ring,” said Ceja. “A Mexican vs. a Filipino is always guaranteed to be an exciting bout. I have even more motivation than ever being on a card headlined by Manny Pacquiao vs. Errol Spence Jr.. This fight is going to get me back into contending for a championship where I belong.”

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For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA (July 26, 2021) — While the stock market continues to soar, the value on betting that eight-division champion and boxer laureate Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao will upset undefeated unified WBC/IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. is plummeting.  Three weeks into his U.S. training camp with world-famous Freddie Roach at the Hollywood, California-based Wild Card Boxing Club, insider information seems to have leaked out on Manny’s conditioning and training camp performance.  The numbers don’t lie.  Spence, 11 years younger and four inches taller than Manny, opened as a massive 4:1 favorite with BetMGM to retain his belts. Since last week, the money has been pouring in on amazin’ Manny, who is now only a 2:1 underdog.

And why not?  Before the pandemic put mega fights on the shelf, Manny lit up the welterweight division in his last three fights, which took place during a 12-month period, from July 15, 2018 to July 20, 2019.  He ran the table, knocking out WBA regular welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse, successfully defending that title with a unanimous decision blitzing of Adrien Broner, and scoring a first-round knockdown en route to an exciting split decision victory over then undefeated WBA welterweight “super” champion Keith Thurman to become, at age 40, the oldest man to win a welterweight title.  Now, tan, rested, and ready to rumble, Manny is looking to break that age record, along with Spence’s grip on those world championship belts.

“Two years out of the ring allowed my body to rest.  My energy stores are overflowing,” said Manny.  “I am so grateful to God that I can still fight at this level against the best and to still have these opportunities at age 42.  I am still amazed that I have won world titles in each decade, going back to the nineties.  My fight with Errol Spence is not just a battle between the two best welterweights but between two of the best fighters.  There is no “B side” in this fight.  I have just as much to prove in this fight as Errol does.  We are going to bring out the best in each other.  It is the type of fight that makes boxing so great.”

“Working with Manny never gets old.  In fact, it seems like Manny never gets old!  And hearing that all the money is coming in on Manny reminds me of the song, The Best Is Yet To Come, because that has been the common thread throughout Manny’s boxing career,” said Freddie.  “I am just so damn proud of Manny for picking Errol Spence for this fight.  It’s a real fight and what a great example to set.  You want respect?  You want to establish a legacy?  Look at what Manny and Spence will be doing on August 21.  It’s the type of fight that returns boxing to the front page.”   

Manny, (62-7-2, 39 KOs), who hails from Sarangani Province in the Philippines, is the one-time Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Decade and three-time Fighter of the Year.  He faces his biggest professional boxing challenge when he goes mano a mano with Spence (27-0, 21 KOs), from DeSoto, Texas.  The Pacquiao-Spence world championship event, which headlines a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View, Saturday, August 21 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, is promoted by TGB Promotions, MP Promotions and Man Down Promotions.  The pay-per-view will begin at 9 p.m. RT / 6 p.m. PT.  Remaining tickets can be purchased through t-mobilearena.com and axs.com.

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For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA (July 20, 2021) — As we look forward to the showdown between eight-division world champion and boxer laureate Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao and unified WBC/IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr., which is 32 days away, it seems only fitting to look back at Manny’s thrilling victory over  then undefeated WBA welterweight “super” champion Keith Thurman, which took place two years ago today in Las Vegas.  Manny opened the fight with a first-round knockdown of Thurman en route to a 12-round split decision victory.  As Thurman accurately stated in his post-fight interview, “It was a night of blessings and lessons.”  Manny’s victory over Thurman was a career highlight for boxing’s longest and most successful partnership.  For 20 years, Manny has had his trainer, world-famous Freddie Roach, in his corner, literally and figuratively, winning world titles in seven different weight divisions in a career of firsts that not only defines the champion he repeatedly became, but the Filipino spirit which has been embraced by the world.  During those the past 20 years, Manny has played David to a roster of Hall of Fame Goliaths, scoring the most impressive victories of his era against the likes of Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Márquez, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, and Shane Mosley.  In his last three fights, which took place during a 12-month period, from July 15, 2018 through July 20, 2019, Manny ran the table, winning welterweight world title fights against Lucas Matthysse, Adrien Broner, and Thurman.  

Below, please find selected clips from ringside, and a link to the FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View telecast.          

• Manny Pacquiao vs. Keith Thurman Full Fight | HIGHLIGHTS | PBC ON FOX – YouTube
• Manny Pacquiao: Thurman win the perfect ending, if he wants it – Sports Illustrated
• Manny Pacquiao remains the most riveting fighter of his generation (espn.com)
• Manny Pacquiao beats Keith Thurman by split decision (apnews.com)
• Ellerbe squashes talk of Pacquiao-Mayweather rematch (yahoo.com)
• Dwyre: Manny Pacquiao’s victory would be the ultimate farewell to a storied career – Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)
• Whicker: Manny Pacquiao’s win over Thurman will reverberate for a while – Orange County Register (ocregister.com)
• Manny Pacquiao defies Father Time with another signature victory | Las Vegas Review-Journal (reviewjournal.com)
• Pacquiao mulls future after title stunner (yahoo.com)
• Manny Pacquiao beats Keith Thurman by split decision for welterweight title – Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)
• In a blistering bout, Thurman couldn’t keep up with the ageless Pacquiao (and other observations from Las Vegas) – The Athletic

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Manny (62-7-2, 39 KOs), the one-time Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Decade and three-time BWAA Fighter of the Year, hails from Sarangani Province in the Philippines.  He faces his biggest professional boxing challenge when he takes on Spence (27-0, 21 KOs), of Desoto, Texas.  Spence is 11 years younger and over four inches taller than the amazin’ Manny.  Would Manny have it any other way?  The Pacquiao-Spence world championship event, which headlines a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View, Saturday, August 21 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, is promoted by TGB Promotions, MP Promotions and Man Down Promotions.  The pay-per-view will begin at 9 p.m. RT / 6 p.m. PT.  Remaining tickets can be purchased through t-mobilearena.com and axs.com.

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For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA (July 19, 2021) — Tuesday will mark the second anniversary of eight-division world champion and boxer laureate Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao’s dethroning of then undefeated WBA welterweight “super” champion Keith Thurman.  Manny, at age 40, became the oldest man to win a welterweight title.  But it was 20 years ago — June 23, 2001 to be exact — that Manny made his U.S. debut as a professional fighter.  Following a sixth-round knockout victory of Kumanpetch Kiatvoraph to retain his WBC International super bantamweight title, on April 28, 2001, in the Philippines, Manny and his manager traveled to San Francisco for a vacation.  In early June, they took a Greyhound bus down the coast to Hollywood in search of a gym and some ring work to stay in shape — literally a busman’s holiday!     

Below are the recollections of Manny, Freddie, Hall of Fame broadcaster Jim Lampley, who called the fight from ringside for HBO, and Ross Greenburg, the executive producer of that HBO PPV telecast.

MANNY PACQUIAO

“We were staying in a small apartment in Hollywood, near the Denny’s On Sunset Boulevard, not far from the highway (Highway 101).  The Denny’s and the apartment building are still there,” said Manny.  “We wandered over to a gym that had been recommended to us — Wild Card Boxing Club — and my manager introduced himself to a man in the gym and told him he was looking for a trainer to work mitts with me.  That man turned out to be the gym owner, Freddie Roach, who agreed to work with me.  After the first round, I returned to my corner and said I just found my new trainer.  Freddie was great with the mitts and as I soon found out, great with instruction too.  Suddenly, as I was preparing to go back to the Philippines, we get an offer to challenge IBF junior featherweight champion Lehlo Ledwaba.  I was the No. 3-rated contender and the two fighters ahead of me couldn’t, or wouldn’t, take the fight.  Freddie and I had trained together about two weeks and now I’m walking into the ring at the MGM Grand to fight Ledwaba on HBO Pay-Per-View.  It was crazy!  That fight changed my life.”

WORLD-FAMOUS FREDDIE ROACH   

“I opened up Wild Card in hopes that one day a new Muhammad Ali would walk in looking for a trainer.  And then, in 2001, he did. Only he was nearly a foot shorter, weighed 122 pounds and spoke very little English,” said Freddie.  “I remember the first time we met.  He came in looking for a trainer to work the mitts and after the first round I went back to my corner and said this guy is sensational.  We have a new fighter.  Soon Manny gets the call offering him the Ledwaba fight.  He was getting ready to go back to the Philippines.  If that call comes a day later, Manny misses out on that fight.  We trained for two weeks and every day I’m falling more and more in love with his boxing skills and power.  He was that good.  So now it’s fight week and I’m going to every casino trying to lay a bet on Manny.  Unfortunately, the fight was considered such a mismatch that no casino would post odds on it.  The guys at Top Rank were really giving me the business, saying that Manny didn’t stand a chance and I’m trying to convince them that Manny is going to do a number on Ledwaba.  Top Rank was promoting the show and Manny’s fight was the co-main event to Oscar De La Hoya vs. Javier Castillejo, and Ledwaba was considered the class of the division.  Manny jumped on Ledwaba from the start and finished him in the sixth round.  It was brutal.  But what a night.  I remember we all went to dinner to celebrate at some small restaurant near the MGM Grand.  Manny and I went from strangers to a world championship team in about two weeks.  It sounds like a movie, doesn’t it?”

JIM LAMPLEY          

“Larry Merchant and I had both seen Ledwaba for the first time with our own eyes on April 21 USA, April 22 South Africa when he defended his title against Mexican contender Carlos Contreras on the undercard of Lennox Lewis vs. Hasim Rahman.  That night Ledwaba looked immaculate in easily handling Contreras.  He showed balance, timing, skillful craft, and to our eyes seemed pretty clearly to be the best 122-pound fighter in the world.  He was 33-1–1 against a pretty representative assortment of contenders from varied geographic bases.  We were pleased to learn he would be back on HBO exactly two months later.  

“On the day before Ledwaba vs. Manny Pacquaio (Pock-Yow, we had to practice it and not everyone in the room was having an easy time of it), we met a young Filipino who looked like an unlikely challenger.  Not a lot of experience, seemingly a bit wide-eyed, and a little short of the necessary English language base to explain to all of us non-Tagalog speakers exactly what he was about.  I leaped to the inner conclusion the experienced and confident Ledwaba was likely to school him.  Why not??

“The following evening Ledwaba was swept away by a furious storm of power punching activity, and so were we.  Ledwaba was never in the fight, and by the time Pacquaio had finished him off, in round six, we were well aware that if the world’s best junior featherweight was in the ring in Las Vegas, that was the unknown Filipino, not the skilled South African to whom he had laid waste.  It was the beginning of HBO’s lengthy and colorful journey with one of the greatest and most exciting prizefighters in the history of the planet, and the fact that the story—-twenty years later—-HASN’T ENDED YET is simply mind boggling.  Mind boggling.”   

ROSS GREENBURG

“What I remember vividly about Manny’s arrival on HBO PPV was the two-week notice to face Ledwaba, and our announcers at ringside — Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant, and George Foreman — being given a crash course on his history and his ring acumen.  The fight began with Jim asking the audience to excuse him as he tries to pronounce his name, in the second round Larry Merchant said that coming into the fight people were “wondering if this fight would catapult Ledwaba to superstar status, and now they are wondering if the same can be said of Manny Pacquiao.”  By the end of the fight Larry Merchant said, “I didn’t know anything about Manny Pacquiao before the fight, and I was very impressed with what I saw during the fight, and now I want to see him again.”  It was clear to all of us at ringside and in the truck that we were about to go on a ride of a lifetime with a transformational boxing superstar.”

Manny’s victory over Ledwaba was also the start of arguably boxing’s longest and most successful partnership.  With Freddie in his corner, literally and figuratively, Manny won world titles in seven different weight divisions in a career of firsts that not only defines the champion he repeatedly became, but the Filipino spirit which has been embraced by the world.  Over the past 20 years, Manny has played David to a roster of Hall of Fame Goliaths, scoring the most impressive victories of his era against the likes of Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Márquez, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, and Shane Mosley.  In his last three fights, which took place during a 12-month period, from July 15, 2018 through July 20, 2019, Manny ran the table, winning welterweight world title fights against Lucas Matthysse, Adrien Broner, and Thurman.          

Manny (62-7-2, 39 KOs), the one-time Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Decade and three-time BWAA Fighter of the Year, hails from Sarangani Province in the Philippines.  He faces his biggest professional boxing challenge when he takes on undefeated unified WBC/IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. (27-0, 21 KOs), of Desoto, Texas.  Spence is 11 years younger and over four inches taller than the amazin’ Manny.  Would Manny have it any other way?  The Pacquiao-Spence world championship event, which headlines a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View, Saturday, August 21 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, is promoted by TGB Promotions, MP Promotions and Man Down Promotions.  The pay-per-view will begin at 9 p.m. RT / 6 p.m. PT.  Remaining tickets can be purchased through t-mobilearena.com and axs.com.

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For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

 HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA (July 12, 2021) — Would you buy a used car from the World Boxing Association (WBA)?

In a period of 12 months, from July 15, 2018 – July 20, 2019, eight-division world champion and boxer laureate Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao lit up the welterweight division by knocking out WBA regular welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse, successfully defending that title against former four-division world champion Adrien Broner (world-rated No. 6 by the WBA when they fought 2018-december.pdf (wbaboxing.com), and solidifying his hold on the division by tagging then undefeated WBA welterweight Super Champion Keith Thurman with his first loss while becoming the oldest fighter, at age 40, to win a welterweight title.  A few months later, the world shut down as it battled the Covid-19 pandemic.

Manny (62-7-2, 39 KOs), who had been training in his native Philippines for six weeks, recently moved his training camp to world-famous Freddie Roach’s Hollywood-based Wild Card Boxing Club as he prepares for his August 21 mega battle with unified WBC/IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol Spence, Jr. (27-0, 21 KOs), from Desoto, Texas.Logic would dictate that Manny would be entering the ring at T-Mobile Arena to face Spence as the WBA Welterweight Super Champion. 

SORPRESA!          

On January 29, 2021, without any advance notice or warning, the WBA announced that it had designated Manny a “Champion in Recess” while promoting Regular Champion Yordenis Ugas to welterweight Super Champion — the title Manny won inside the ring — without even fighting for that title.  WBA designates Manny Pacquiao as Champion in Recess – World Boxing Association (wbaboxing.com).  Ugas hasn’t fought since winning the WBA Regular welterweight title on September 6, 2020.  It begs the question, what did Manny receive for the hundreds of thousands of dollars he paid in sanctioning fees to the WBA to sanction his last three title fight victories?        “I can tell you what Manny didn’t receive – DUE PROCESS AND RESPECT,” said Sean Gibbons, president of MP Promotions.  “It took two years to get the world title belt he earned inside the ring by beating the undefeated Super Champion Keith Thurman.  Hell, Manny only received that belt on Saturday.  The WBA never inquired about Manny’s title defense plans.  The WBA never warned us Manny’s Super Champion status could be in jeopardy.  The WBA never informed us that Manny had been designated its Champion in Recess.  We had to read the WBA’s press release on that on the internet.  And speaking of Keith Thurman, the WBA had no concern about his lack of activity when he went over 22 months between title defenses (Danny Garcia on March 4, 2017, and Josesito Lopez on January 26, 2019).  Recess is over.  The two best fighters in the welterweight division are facing each other.  It should be celebrated and properly recognized.  The Ring is even blessing the winner as its welterweight champion.  This is not a sanctioning group.  It is a used car lot.  Take my advice.  Before paying the WBA a sanctioning fee, kick the tires and read the warranty.  Perhaps their new slogan should be Caveat Emptor.”
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The Pacquiao-Spence world championship event, which headlines a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View, Saturday, August 21 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, is promoted by TGB Promotions, MP Promotions and Man Down Promotions.  The pay-per-view will begin at 9 p.m. RT / 6 p.m. PT.  Remaining tickets can be purchased through t-mobilearena.com and axs.com.

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For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

Photo credit : Chris Farina – ChrisFarina.com / ChrisFarinaPhoto copyright 2021

LOS ANGELES (July 12, 2021) – Eight-division world champion and Philippine Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao went face to face with unified WBC and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. at press conference in Los Angeles Sunday as they previewed their blockbuster championship showdown that headlines a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, August 21 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The pay-per-view will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT as Spence will look to earn a legacy-defining victory, while Pacquiao seeks one more monumental win to add to his first ballot Hall of Fame resume.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, MP Promotions and Man Down Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased through t-mobilearena.com and axs.com.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Sunday:

MANNY PACQUIAO

“There were a lot of opportunities for me to pick an easier fight than this. But I picked Errol Spence Jr. because I want a real fight and a great fight for the fans. I’m a fighter and boxing is my passion.

“Errol Spence Jr. is aggressive, young and undefeated. He’s dedicated to his career. This is definitely not an easy opponent. This is the kind of opponent you can never underestimate.

“It’s been a long time since I fought a southpaw opponent. We had to change some of our strategy compared to previous fights and we’ll throw some different combinations.

“I don’t think Errol needs advice from Floyd Mayweather. I believe that Errol is a better fighter than Mayweather. Errol can teach Floyd how to fight toe-to-toe.

“I don’t want to be overconfident, because Errol is too good of an opponent. His determination and passion for the sport is always there. When I say I’m going to do something, it’s real and from the heart, it’s not to impress anybody.

“I had started training in the last week of May in the Philippines. So when I got here to Los Angeles, I was just continuing what I was doing. It’s good for me to have the rest that I’ve had the last two years. I’ve been boxing since I was 12 years old until now. When I went back to training, I was still hungry and dedicated.

“I won’t predict another first round knockdown like I had against Thurman. I’m focusing my mind, body and spirit on winning the fight. That’s the only goal.
“This is one of the biggest challenges in my career. I can’t say it’s the biggest, because I’ve been fighting the best fighters in the world for years. But he’s right up there with anyone I’ve faced.

“I’ve been boxing for more than 25 careers as a pro. I think that I’ve seen every kind of style that’s out there.

“This is a one of a kind and prodigious fight. There’s going to be a lot of action in the ring. I’m so thankful for everyone who supports me and I’m happy to be in this position again fighting one of the best fighters in the world.”

ERROL SPENCE JR.

“This is a great opportunity. Coming off of my accident I went right to fighting Danny Garcia and now Pacquiao. A lot of people were in the Pacquiao sweepstakes. When I got the call about this fight, I agreed right away and didn’t give it a second thought.

“There aren’t that many southpaws in boxing, so you don’t usually spar that many. We’ve got a lot of guys in camp now who can fight that left-handed style. Obviously I can’t find someone who fights exactly like Manny, but you can find guys who can mimic the tempo and pace. So that’s who we’ve been working with.

“You can see that Manny is still an explosive fighter with great speed. We’ve been putting together a game plan and we’ve been working on implementing it. Come August 21, you’ll see it in the ring.

“Manny can lull you to sleep giving you compliments. But once the bell rings, he’s going to jump all over you.

“My chin since the accident has been tested in sparring and in the Danny Garcia fight. I imagine Manny is going to try to come in and test it as well.

“Just because he’s 42-years-old I don’t think it’s going to hurt him in training. He’s not blowing up in weight between fights and he’s not distracted. That’s why he’s been the same Manny Pacquiao for decades. I’m looking forward to the same Pacquiao who fought Keith Thurman and before that.

“Manny has a lot of tendencies, of course you’re going to see some things over the span of his whole career. When it’s time to buckle down, you know he’s the guy who’s going to fight. It can be a pro or a con, but he’s going to make it a fan-friendly fight.

“I don’t see myself ever getting knocked out. I just don’t see it. We’re going to be mindful that he has power. He knocked down Thurman and hurt him with a body shot. We’ll keep that in mind. But I’m not thinking about if he can knock me out.

“I have the ability to finish Pacquiao. For me though, I’m focused on winning the fight. If you rush and go for the knockout, you either look sloppy or something goes wrong. I have to fight my fight and at my pace. If the knockout comes, I’ll go for it.

“This is going to be a great fight. Pacquiao is going to bring it like he always does, but I’m definitely going to come through with the victory.”

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PHOTOS BU CHRIS FARINA

 HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA (July 9, 2021) – Four days removed from flying around the world to Los Angeles, eight-division world champion and boxer laureate Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs), who hails from Sarangani Province in the Philippines, had the head gear on and sparred four rounds with two taller and younger southpaws at world-famous Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, Calif. on Thursday.  The small audience that observed the session included two people assigned by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) to collect a blood sample following his workout – the second time VADA has tested Manny this week.  Manny has powered his way through jet lag to train two to three hours daily at Wild Card every afternoon while starting most mornings with runs at either Pan Pacific Park or running straight up the hills of Griffith Park to the iconic Hollywood Sign, followed by a series of 1,000 sit-ups.  It is an extraordinary feat for any athlete, but for the 42-year-old amazin’ Manny, it is just a walk in the park.

Manny takes on undefeated unified WBC and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. (27-0, 21 KOs), from Desoto, Texas, in a blockbuster championship showdown that headlines a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, August 21 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.  The pay-per-view will begin at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.

           “Manny lives for the challenge and the competition.  Manny loves hearing that the Las Vegas odds and the media favor Errol Spence,” said Freddie.  “Manny knows it’s a tough fight – probably his toughest – but that’s why he began his conditioning so early in the Philippines.  Usually, jet lag keeps him out of the gym for one day the first week he arrives in Los Angeles.  Not this time.  He has been here every day, training two and half to three hours each afternoon.  I usually hold off sparring the first week, but Manny insisted on sparring yesterday, so we brought in Maurice Lee (5’11) and Alexis Rocha (5’10), who went two rounds each with Manny.  Manny has achieved so much in his boxing career and in his life.  But everyone in camp can sense this fight has a special meaning.  It is not just about beating a top pound-for-pound fighter or winning more titles.  This time it’s all about boxing immortality for Manny Pacquiao.  I am a Red Sox fan, and I can tell he wants to go out like Ted Williams did, hitting a home run in his last at bat.  By the way, Ted Williams was also 42 when he did that.”

           “What a great experience,” said Lee, 29, who boasts a professional record of 12-1-2, 5 KOs.  “I thought since he had just flown in from the Philippines, he would be a little tired and I could catch him with a few shots.  But he was sharp, elusive, and unpredictable.  Video tape does not prepare you for his speed and the angles he fights from.  His punches were coming from everywhere!  Calling him elite would be an understatement.”

           “Sparring with Manny was definitely a learning experience,” said Rocha, 24, who scored a second-round knockout victory over James Bacon in June to improve his record to 17-1, 11 KOs.  “Manny has a very awkward style to fight because his punches come from all directions.  He has fast and heavy hands and he throws punches in bunches.      

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Manny Pacquiao and Errol Spence will kick off the promotional campaign side by side this Sunday, July 11, when they will appear for a live televised press conference on FOX (and the FOX Sports app) beginning at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT.  The hour-long program will feature commentary from former opponents Keith “One Time” Thurman and “Showtime” Shawn Porter, who will offer their analysis before Pacquiao and Spence return to their training camps.

Remaining tickets for the Pacquiao-Spence world championship event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, MP Promotions and Man Down Promotions, can be purchased through t-mobilearena.com and axs.com.

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For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

LAS VEGAS (July 8, 2021) – Eight-division world champion and Philippine Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao takes on undefeated unified WBC and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. in a blockbuster championship showdown that headlines a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, August 21 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The pay-per-view will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will pit the division’s reigning king against a legend of the sport who has proven in recent years that he is still worthy of his long held standing. Spence will look to earn a legacy-defining victory, while Pacquiao seeks one more monumental win to add to his first ballot Hall of Fame resume.

Both fighters kick off the promotional campaign side by side this Sunday, July 11, when they’ll appear for a live televised press conference on FOX beginning at 5 p.m. ET. The hour-long program will feature commentary from former opponents Keith “One Time” Thurman and “Showtime” Shawn Porter, who will offer their analysis before Pacquiao and Spence return to their training camps.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, MP Promotions and Man Down Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased through t-mobilearena.com and axs.com.

“This is as big of a fight that can be made in boxing and the whole world will be watching on FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View August 21,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Manny Pacquiao is a hero to his nation, a living legend in the ring, and is once again seeking the biggest challenge available to him, as he’s done throughout his career. Errol Spence Jr. has reigned as the world’s top welterweight for years and will now have a chance to further cement his pound-for-pound credentials in the biggest fight of his career. Whether you’re watching at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, or live on pay-per-view, August 21 is sure to be a memorable night for the sport.”

This will be the fourth FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View headlined by Spence (27-0, 21 KOs), who unified welterweight titles in September 2019 by besting Shawn Porter in one of the best fights of the year. Spence was launched into stardom when the 31-year-old first captured a welterweight crown by traveling to the U.K. to stop Kell Brook in front of his hometown fans in 2017. He followed up his title-winning victory with triumphs over Lamont Peterson and Carlos Ocampo in 2018.

Fighting out of his native Desoto, Texas, Spence returned to the ring last December for the first time since miraculously surviving a car accident in October 2019 where he was thrown from the vehicle before it crashed. Spence thrilled his hometown crowd at AT&T Stadium by defeating two-division champion Danny Garcia by unanimous decision. Spence represented the U.S. at the 2012 Olympics before turning pro later that year and scoring knockouts in 10 of his first 12 fights, showing the promise that he would eventually fulfill on the biggest stages of the sport.

“I’ve been waiting on this kind of major boxing event my entire career,” said Spence. “Manny Pacquiao is a boxing legend and future Hall of Famer. To be able to match skills with him and come out with a victory would be the highlight of my career thus far. I’m coming to win and he’s coming to win and that’s what makes for an all-action fight. I can’t wait to step into the ring at T-Mobile Arena on August 21 in what I expect to be an exciting night.’’

A three-time Fighter of the Year and the one-time Boxing Writers Association of America’s Fighter of the Decade, Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs), who hails from Sarangani Province in the Philippines, is the only sitting Congressman and Senator to win a world title. After serving two terms as Congressman, Pacquiao was elected to a Philippine Senate seat in May 2016, capturing over 16 million votes nationally. Pacquiao’s boxing resume features victories over at least seven current and future Hall of Famers, including Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley and Juan Manuel Marquez.

In January 2019, Pacquiao put on a vintage performance against four-division champion Adrien Broner, scoring a 12-round unanimous decision in the 70th match of an illustrious career, which also marked his first time fighting back in the U.S. in two years. In his most recent performance Pacquiao added another Fight of the Year contender to his resume, as he dropped then unbeaten Keith Thurman in the first round on his way to a decision victory in a memorable action fight in July 2019.

“I am excited to be battling Errol Spence Jr.,” said Pacquiao. “Like me, Errol has an aggressive, all-action style of fighting. Boxing fans watching at T-Mobile Arena or on pay-per-view are going to be happy with this world championship fight. It is going to be wild!”

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HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. (July 5, 2021) – Eight-division world champion and boxer laureate Senator MANNY “PACMAN” PACQUIAO began his first U.S. training camp in nearly two years today and it seemed like he picked up right where he left off when he dethroned WBA welterweight champion Keith Thurman on July 20, 2019, tagging the defending champion with his first loss.  One day removed from arriving from the Philippines, Manny began the day with a five-mile morning run and 1,000 sit-ups.  Before heading to Wild Card Boxing Club, in Hollywood, for his afternoon training session with world-famous Freddie Roach, Manny was given a random drug test from VADA (Voluntary Anti-Doping Association) at his house.  Once at Wild Card, Manny and Freddie began the nearly three-hour gym session with nine rounds on the mitts, with each punch exploding like a July 4^th firecracker.

Manny and undefeated WBC and IBF Welterweight Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence will meet in a blockbuster championship showdown that headlines a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View on Saturday, August 21 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.  

“If this is how Manny hits with jet lag, I may need to get new gloves with thicker padding for our next sessions,” said Freddie.  “He was incredibly sharp for his first day.  He hit hard with good power.  After all these years, I’m still amazed at the great condition he’s in when he comes to training camp.  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.”

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

Remaining tickets to the Pacquiao-Spence welterweight world championship event can be purchased through  www.t-mobilearena.com and www.axs.com.

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For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

LAS VEGAS (June 24, 2021) – Eight-division world champion and Philippine Senator Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao and undefeated unified WBC and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. will meet in a blockbuster championship showdown that headlines a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, August 21 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

This battle for welterweight supremacy will pit the division’s reigning king against a legend of the sport who has proven in recent years that he is still worthy of his long held standing.

Tickets for the live event are on sale tomorrow, Friday, June 25 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased through t-mobilearena.com and axs.com.

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For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

By Norm Frauenheim-

Manny Pacquiao got back into the gym for some honest work for his summer date with Errol Spence a few days before Floyd Mayweather pulled off another heist, an exhibition he called legalized bank robbery.

The timing was mere coincidence, yet symbolic of how the two are connected by opposite paths each has taken since their fight six-plus years ago fell woefully short of expectations.

The differences have never been more polarized. Pacquiao still embraces risk; Mayweather has never been more risk-averse. Despite their divergent paths since Mayweather’s unanimous decision in 2015 over Pacquiao in the richest fight ever, danger is there for both in what looks to be a dilemma for a troubled business and its polarized fan-base.

Applaud Pacquiao for his courage, but worry that a younger, bigger Spence might hurt him. Defend Mayweather’s right to make as much as he can, but worry about his legacy.

Mayweather’s string of cash grabs continued Sunday in Miami against one of the Pauls. Logan or Jake or Rand? I can’t keep them straight. I also didn’t watch a show without an official winner, although both corners apparently scored a victory for their bank accounts. Showtime’s pay-per-view telecast was expected to hit the one-million mark, according to multiple reports.

Mayweather still sells, although recent photos of him made me think of a word applied to a former boxing entrepreneur and ex-president who was back on the bully pulpit in North Carolina last weekend. The New York Times called him diminished.

Diminished might just be another way of saying Mayweather, 44, is beginning to look old. Apparently, nothing about his net worth has been diminished. Still, there’s a question about whether his string of legalized bank robberies is diminishing the legacy he has defined and marketed with his official record, 50-0.

From this corner, TBE — The Best Ever — looks to be a diminishing acronym. Stop The Steal, Floyd, or the unbeaten legacy will become unrecognizable.

There might be opportunity in that. Mayweather’s diminishment might be Pacquiao’s enrichment. But the risk is huge. In age, Pacquiao is a lot closer to Mayweather than Spence. At 31, Spence is squarely in his prime.

He’s also bigger, a big welterweight, who at opening bell on August 21 is sure to be the middleweight he is about to become. Think Antonio Margarito. Pacquiao beat him decisively on the scorecards in a junior-middleweight bout on the Dallas Cowboys home field in Arlington, Tex. But Pacquiao called it his toughest fight. The bigger Margarito hurt him with body punches along the ropes midway through the bout. Hurt him 11 years ago.

The question is whether Pacquiao can still endure — and recover — from that kind of punishment. He thinks he can, although he hasn’t answered an opening bell in a couple of years. When he faces Spence, it will be about 25 months since his last fight, a split decision over Keith Thurman in July 2019.

“It’ll be a good fight,” Pacquiao told The Philippine Star Wednesday after nearly a week of some preliminary work at his home in Manila. “A lot of world titles will be at stake. Spence is unbeaten, younger. But I’m confident, I have the experience, speed and power.”

The Filipino Senator with Presidential aspirations also has wear and tear, all inevitable after 26 years in the pro ring. The middle-aged Pacquiao is the early underdog. He was at minus-240 this week, according to various on-line betting sites That translates to a 29.41-percent chance of victory. There might be a better chance of him getting hurt.

But the role is not new. Oscar De La Hoya was a huge favorite, Then, there was also fear that a smaller Pacquiao might get hurt. Pacquiao stopped him, forcing De La Hoya to quit after eight rounds. It was a career-defining moment. A moment that happened 13 years ago.

For now, Pacquiao seems to enjoy being the underdog. Maybe, it makes him feel younger.

“It was the same trend when I fought Thurman,” said Pacquiao, who was expected to move his training to his hometown, General Santos City, on Thursday. “In the beginning, he was the favorite, but as people found out how I was training and saw my speed and power hadn’t changed, the odds reversed by the time the fight started.”

He’s an underdog with a legacy that will always be compared to a rival moving in another direction, yet on a parallel track. Each has a risk-to-reward ratio. Each also has own way of calculating it.

For Mayweather, it’s the safest possible bet on more money, his nickname. For Pacquiao, it’s another risky chance at history. 

HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. (Oct. 13, 2020) — Before he travels to Tokyo as a member of the 2021 Philippines Olympic boxing team, amateur middleweight standout and Manny Pacquiao’s newest addition, Eumir Felix Marcial, has decided to follow in his hero’s footsteps.  Marcial, who landed at LAX on Sunday, will set up his training camp for his professional debut at world-famous Freddie Roach’s Hollywood-based Wild Card Boxing Club, the same gym where Pacquiao trained for his greatest in-ring performances.  Inasmuch as professional fighters are now allowed to compete in the Olympics, Wild Card will serve as a “one-stop shop” for preparing for professional and Olympic glory.  Promoted by TGB Promotions, Marcial, 24, from Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines, is expected to make his pro debut in the U.S. within the next few months.

            “It is an honor to work with the same trainer as my idol Senator Manny Pacquiao.  I consider Manny my mentor,” said Marcial.  “Every young fighter knows about Freddie Roach and his gym.  Wild Card Boxing Club is considered hallowed ground to every Filipino boxer.  I look forward to working with and learning from Sir Freddie.  It is a wonderful opportunity.”  

            “MP Promotions was thrilled to be selected by Eumir to guide his boxing career and we, along with TGB Promotions, will do everything we can to prepare Eumir for a successful professional career and a gold medal-caliber Olympic experience,” said Sean Gibbons, president of MP Promotions.  “Who else but Hall of Famer Freddie Roach would Eumir train under?  Freddie is very excited to give Eumir a tour of Wild Card and to begin training later this week.”    

             Before the pandemic shut the world down, Marcial had been on a roll.  He punched his ticket for the 2021 Olympics in March by winning all four of his bouts in the Asia-Oceania Olympic Qualifying tournament in Amman, Jordan.  Marcial was the top seed in his division.  Last December, he captured the gold at the 30th Southeast Asian Games as well as the silver medal in last year’s World Boxing Championships.  His illustrious résumé also includes being a three-time SEA games champion.

     LAS VEGAS, NEV. (July 20, 2020) — Before he boards the Tokyo Express as a member of the 2021 Philippines Olympic boxing team, amateur middleweight standout and Manny Pacquiao’s newest addition Eumir Felix Marcial has decided to turn professional since professional fighters are now allowed to compete in the Olympics.  Marcial, 24, from Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines, recently signed an exclusive promotional agreement with Senator Pacquiao’s MP Promotions, which boasts a stable that currently includes three world champions — WBO Bantamweight Champion John Riel Casimero, IBF Super Flyweight Champion Jerwin Ancajas, and IBF Minimumweight Champion Pedro Taduran.  Marcial is expected to make his pro debut in the Fall in the U.S.

            “It is an honor to have my idol Senator Manny Pacquiao as my mentor and promoter,” said Marcial.  “I have seen the tremendous opportunities that Senator Pacquiao and MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons have given to so many Filipino Boxers.  I feel working under the MP Promotions banner will give me the best opportunity as I prepare for the Tokyo Olympics and my professional career.  I would like to thank all those who were part of my career from the start, most notably my ABAP family led by president Ricky Vargas, Secretary-General Ed Picson, and my coaches Ronald Chavez, Pat Gaspi and Romeo Brin.  Also to my lifelong inspirations, my fiancée Princess Galarpe, my siblings, and my mother Carmelita and father Eulalio.  Most of all, thank you to all Filipino sports fans who have shown me endless support from the time I won my first gold medal in 2011 at the AIBA Youth World Championship.  You have inspired me and I pledge to you that I will always give it my all to achieve our goal of winning for the Philippines its first Olympic gold medal next year in Tokyo 2021 and becoming the first middleweight world champion from the Philippines.  A million thanks and ‘Mabuhay!’ to all the Filipino athletes.”

            “MP Promotions is thrilled to be selected by Eumir to guide his boxing career,” said Sean Gibbons, president of MP Promotions.  “Senator Pacquiao’s goal at MP Promotions is to give as many Filipino boxers access to the biggest platforms in the U.S. and around the world, and create the best opportunities to succeed in boxing like the ones Manny has enjoyed over the last 25 years.  We have followed Eumir through the amateurs and he is special.  His dedication to boxing, his family, and the country of the Philippines is very strong.  MP Promotions is proud to be guiding its first Olympian.  We will make sure his journey to the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo is a smooth one as we help Eumir achieve his dual dream of winning Olympic gold and a professional world title for his father and the Philippines.” 

             Before the pandemic shut the world down, Marcial had been on a roll.  He punched his ticket for the 2021 Olympics in March by winning all four of his bouts in the Asia-Oceania Olympic Qualifying tournament in Amman, Jordan.  Marcial was the top seed in his division.  Last December, he captured the gold at the 30th Southeast Asian Games as well as the silver medal in last year’s World Boxing Championships.  His illustrious résumé also includes being a three-time SEA games champion.

(April 24, 2020) — This Saturday, April 25, will be a day of boxing blockbusters on ESPN when the network airs four consecutive hours of the sweet science immediately following the conclusion of the 2020 NFL Draft. Starting at 7 p.m. ET, this special presentation will showcase some of the biggest stars of boxing’s recent generation, culminating with the 2015 historic “Fight of the Century” between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao.

The other encore matches featured include Mayweather vs. Judah (2006), Pacquiao vs. Márquez 2 (2008) and Pacquiao vs. Cotto (2009).

The special presentation will include an interview from ESPN’s Joe Tessitore with Top Rank chairman Bob Arum.  During the interview, Arum lays out the hurdles that boxing must overcome to return, how the travel restrictions will impact the sport and Fury-Wilder 3. The interview will air approximately at 9 p.m. ET.

In addition to the linear telecast, most of these fights are also available on ESPN+. Exclusively available to subscribers, ESPN+ features a library of hundreds of the most important fights in boxing history.

The lineup:

Mayweather vs Judah (7 p.m.): This 2006 match marked the first time Mayweather would challenge for a welterweight world title. He had previously won titles at super featherweight, lightweight and super lightweight. Near the end of the 10^th round, a brawl between the corners broke out after Judah hit Mayweather with a low blow, followed by a rabbit punch.

Pacquiao vs. Márquez 2 (8 p.m.): Pacquiao’s second fight against Márquez marked the first time the Filipino fighter would challenge for a world title at super featherweight. He was attempting to become the first Asian fighter to win world titles in four different weight classes.

Pacquiao vs. Cotto (9 p.m.): In his fight against Cotto, Pacquiao attempted to become the first fighter in boxing history to win a world title in seven different weight classes, while Cotto entered the bout making the second defense of his WBO welterweight title.

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao (10 p.m.): The event set records for the largest grossing live gate ($72 million) and the most pay-per-view buys (4.6 million) in combat sports history. The fight served as a unification bout, with Mayweather defending the WBA and WBC welterweight titles and Pacquiao defending the WBO title.

ESPN Boxing Schedule Saturday, April 25

ESPN+ features a library of hundreds of the most important fights in boxing history, as well as recent Top Rank on ESPN fight cards for replay, all streaming on demand. The historic fights on ESPN+ include legendary heavyweight showdowns like Ali vs. Frazier III, Ali vs. George Foreman, Joe Louis vs. Billy Conn, Tyson vs. Holmes, Jack Dempsey vs. Gene Tunney, Max Baer vs. James J. Braddock, Ali vs. Sonny Liston I & II, Wilder vs. Fury II and many more.

(March 24, 2020) — Bring out the boxing stars.
 

Terence Crawford, Tyson Fury, Teofimo Lopez, Michael Conlan and the 2015 super-fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao will be showcased on ESPN2 Wednesday, March 25 as part of a five-hour fistic marathon.

The action will begin at 7 p.m. ET with WBO welterweight world champion Crawford’s April 2019 tour de force over former unified super lightweight world champion Amir Khan.  

At 8 p.m. ET, there will be a special replay of the tripleheader that preceded the Heisman Trophy ceremony last December from Madison Square Garden. Conlan opened the show seeking revenge over Vladimir Nikitin, the Russian boxer who defeated him via controversial decision in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Rio Olympics. The co-feature saw 22-year-old Brooklyn-born prodigy Lopez challenge IBF lightweight world champion Richard Commey in a classic “changing of the guards” matchup. In the main event, pound-for-pound king Crawford went toe-to-toe with two-time Lithuanian Olympian Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas.  

The big men will take center stage at 10 p.m. ET for lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury’s drama-filled 12-round war against Otto Wallin, which took place last September at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.  

The action will conclude at 11 p.m. ET with the most lucrative bout in boxing history, the May 2015 welterweight world title fight between all-time greats Mayweather and Pacquiao.  

ESPN+ also features a collection of some of the greatest fights in boxing history, including dozens of legendary bouts from the Top Rank Library, available on demand. The collection includes legendary heavyweight showdowns like Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III, Ali vs. George Foreman, Joe Louis vs. Billy Conn, Mike Tyson vs. Larry Holmes, Jack Dempsey vs. Gene Tunney, Max Baer vs. James J. Braddock, Ali vs. Sonny Liston I & II, and many more.  

Wednesday’s Top Rank on ESPN lineup adds to ESPN’s week of programming, which also includes an encore presentation of the Academy-Award winning 30 for 30 documentary “O.J.: Made in America.” The documentary airs over three nights in primetime from March 24-March 26. The film originally premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2016, debuted on ABC/ESPN in June 2016, and won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature at the 89^th Academy Awards in February 2017. 

ESPN Boxing Schedule, Wednesday, March 25 (All times ET)  

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Manny Pacquiao has signed with the same management company that represent Conor McGregor.

“I am proud to partner with Paradigm Sports Management and am excited for the opportunities that [Paradigm president and CEO] Audie Attar and PSM have to offer,” Pacquiao said in a statement. “One thing I want everyone to remember is to always think positively. Never think negatively; that is the beginning of your downfall. Everything is possible.”

“I’m honored to have the opportunity not only to maximize Manny’s boxing career but to help him continue to leave a legacy he is proud of through the lens of business and sport,” Attar said in a statement. “My approach is to focus on each client and their goals always, and I look forward to fighting on his behalf.”

JOHN RIEL CASIMERO will be inspired by his promoter and friend Manny Pacquiao when he challenges WBO bantamweight champion Zolani Tete on Saturday night.

The Filipino road warrior challenges brilliant South African Tete (28-3, 21 KOs) on Frank Warren’s spectacular Midlands Mayhem bill at Arena Birmingham on Saturday November 30, live on BT Sport.

Eight-weight champion Pacquiao wanted to stage the brilliant bantamweight battle in the Philippines, but Tete’s promoter Warren won the purse bids.

There is plenty at stake and the winner is likely to book a 2020 unification against World Boxing Super Series victor Naoya Inoue, the IBF and WBA champion.

Pacquiao told his two-weight world champion: “Casimero, good luck champ and just do your very best.”

Interim WBO champion Casimero (28-4, 19 KOs) will be flanked by his adviser and Manny Pacquiao Promotions boss Sean Gibbons when he lands in Britain this weekend.

Gibbons said: “I told the Senator (Pacquiao)  that Casimero had a tremendous camp and we want nothing less than a victory.”

During Casimero’s 32 fight career he has boxed in ten countries – Argentina, China, England, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, South Africa, Thailand, United States and of course his homeland the Philippines.

Casimero travelled to London in September 2016 and stopped Charlie Edwards in the first defence of his IBF flyweight crown he’d taken from Amnat Ruenroeng four months earlier in an upset.

For this fight he has been training in Las Vegas where he has added Memo Heredia a former trainer of Pacquiao’s old rival Juan Manuel Marquez to his team.

Brendan Gibbons, son of Sean Gibbons has looked after the camp there and warned: “Casimero’s on beast mode.”

Casimero, 30, became IBF light-flyweight title holder in 2012 and made three defences before losing it on the scales.

He has lost just twice in eight and a half years since being knocked out by high class South African Moruti Mthalane shortly after his 22nd birthday in March 2011.

Zolani Tete defending his WBO world bantamweight title against Filipino John Riel Casimero features on a stacked night of title action at Arena Birmingham on November 30. British and Commonwealth welterweight champion Chris Jenkins makes a defence against mandatory challenger Liam Taylor. Lerrone Richards also takes on Lennox Clarke for the Commonwealth and vacant British super middleweight belt, while East Midlands favourite Sam Bowen makes a second defence of his British super featherweight title against mandatory challenger Anthony Cacace. Popular Sam Maxwell makes first defence of his WBO super-lightweight belt against Connor Parker. Hamzah Sheeraz faces local boxer Ryan Kelly in Sheeraz’s first title fight.

Thrilling prospects Dennis McCann, Shabaz Masoud, Eithan James and George Davey also featuring on the bill, along with talents from the local region in Nathan Heaney and River Wilson-Bent.
 

Tickets are available now from £40 via TheTicketFactory and Ticketmaster 

Ticket Prices:

£250 – Inner Ring Hospitality
£150 – Floor
£100 – Floor
£75 – Floor
£50 – Lower Tier
£40 – Upper Tier

By Bart Barry-

Saturday on Fox PPV in a match for the PBC’s
emeritus welterweight championship at MGM Grand undefeated titlist Keith “One
Time” Thurman got dropped and fairly decisioned by a 40-year-old Filipino
senator, Manny Pacquiao, who struggled to call Thurman even “a good fighter” immediately
afterwards.  Not the always gracious
Pacquiao’s fault, that.  Different era,
different priorities, different metrics.

No sooner does one imagine things going
differently in Thurman’s career were he with different management than he
recognizes different management overlooked him, didn’t it?  If manager Al Haymon plucked fruit from the
Olympic tree – some wellseeded like Errol, most misshapen like Rau’Shee and Terrell
– he discovered Thurman differently, howsoever he did it, which is to write
Haymon outbid the likes of Top Rank and affiliates, almost certainly because
they didn’t bid at all. 

Why is this relevant?  Because at the time Thurman turned pro
(nearly 12 years ago) most every great fighter a young aficionado today can
name got developed by Top Rank, starting with “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather,
the patron saint, emphasis on patron, of today’s PBC stable. 

Whither this rehashing?  It crossed my mind muchly during Saturday’s
match, as it certainly crossed Coach Freddie’s mind and “Money” Mayweather’s
mind, too, at ringside.  Accustomed to
what large-pursed, pillow-gloved, athletic-contest exhibitions PBC bubblewraps
its champions in, Thurman hadn’t an inkling what suffering must traditionally
be endured for a man to call himself champion. 
He knows about it now, though.

Over and again one marveled at how alien a figure
Pacquiao cut on the sanitized island called Premier Boxing Champions.  Like an aged tiger parachuted in the middle
of a clover sheep farm populated only by sheep and clover, Pacquiao, red of
tooth and claw, fists wrapped in Mexican horsehair, not foam, thrilled at
violence as his profession’s only point – not an ancillary unpleasantness to be
got through while doing fitnessy things for large paychecks.

Three times the absurdity of it all manifested on
Thurman’s face: When Pacquiao knocked him asswards, when Pacquiao mashed his
nose through his face, when Pacquiao touched him properly on the button.  First was the look of disbelief then the look
of disgusted betrayal then the look of offended fright.  Thurman collected a righthand and dropped
like he’d been tripped then he spit the yucky taste of his own blood at his
corner en route to his stool then he wheeled away, gumshield in glove, selling a
Pacquiao bodyshot like the foulest of things. 
The last was the caketaker; it was the act of a man unable to imagine in
his 30th prizefight such pain might be delivered by a legal blow.

And all this from a version of Pacquiao five years
past its expiration date, a version of Pacquiao unable or unwilling to contest
more than 45 seconds of a round, a version of Pacquiao much more an ideal of
selfdefense than a predator.

There was Thurman, chastened completely by getting
bluematted in round 1, tentatively pawing and countering through much of the
match, while Fox’s contracted narrative-maker tabulated hundreds of “power
punches”, knowing there was a needle he must thread: Hit Pacquiao enough to
score points but not so much as to make him mad.

Then in your mind flashed Juan Manuel Marquez,
sucking his own noseblood through an open mouth and goading, prodding, goading,
goading, prodding, goading Pacquiao till he lured him, after 125 minutes and 58
seconds of misery and conflict and fear, in the master’s trap to end his era in
ecstasy.  How even do you word such a
contrast between the sinewy savage Pacquaio faced Dec. 8, 2012, and the fatted sheep
he’s seen in 2019?  They are not sportsmen
of the same species, surely. 

O, be not so hard on gentleman Keith; after all,
he comported himself nobly in defeat and gives generous interviews and he’s
telegenic and loves his wife.  Fair
points, yes.  If you are going to lose
there are more ignoble ways of doing it, as Adrien Broner reminds us annually.

O, to hell with that.  This is bloodsport, this is men making their
livings hurting other men. 

Pacquiao just reset the hands on the clock of
PBC’s fraud.  Don’t let Pacquiao’s
reluctance to face Errol Spence blind you. 
Spence is an outlier – PBC doesn’t know what to do with him either.  Thurman was PBC’s champion, Thurman won the
PBC welterweight Super Bowl in 2017, two months before PBC even knew what it
had in Spence, Thurman was the coddled prodigy, Thurman represented PBC’s
post-Mayweather future.  And that future just
spent round 10 with his white tail in the air, skittering away from a
40-year-old.

Because decisioning Thurman this late in the day
marks only about the 27th best moment of Pacquaio’s career, Saturday was not
about Pacquiao.  Saturday was a
fullthroated indictment of the P in PBC.

Be glad “The Truth” was ringside to see it, too,
for the future of our beloved sport.  Now
Spence knows, as Mayweather knew, the PBC on FoxTime belt is a participation
trophy, the glassencased product of a minorleague affiliate, a way to bamboozle
venture capitalists and network programmers. 
Spence now knows if he doesn’t make his manager make a match with
Terence Crawford while both men are still prime Spence’s championship lineage
will run through “One Time” and “Swift”, not “Sugar” or “Sugar”, and a
halfdecade from now some young bodysnatcher will properly coin him “The Fiction”
like Spence properly coined another man “Sometimes”.

Bart
Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

LAS VEGAS (July 19, 2019) – Hard-hitting Filipino welterweight Jayar Inson has stepped in to battle former world champion Sergey Lipinets in a 10-round fight on the undercard of the Manny Pacquaio vs. Keith Thurman WBA Welterweight Championship showdown headlining the PBC on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event this Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

John Molina Jr. was originally scheduled to face Lipinets and withdrew from the bout due to a back injury. He was coming off a close unanimous decision loss to Omar Figueroa in February.

The 28-year-old Inson (18-2, 12 KOs) is coming off a split-decision loss to Jonathan Steele at MGM Grand in Las Vegas on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao vs. Adrien Broner on January 19. The southpaw is from Davao City, Philippines and was schedule to fight Mexico’s Mahonri Montes in an eight-round bout on the off-TV undercard.

Lipinets (15-1, 11 KOs) is coming off a “Fight of the Year” performance against former two-division champion Lamont Peterson in March. A former 140-pound world champion from Kazakhstan, who grew up in Russia and now lives in Los Angeles, Lipinets pulled off an impressive 10th round TKO victory over Peterson in March in one of 2019’s best fights.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepageand www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

By Norm Frauenheim-

LAS VEGAS – There were three legends and one who wants to be one. They were there to talk about a legend and one who promises to be one.

Manny Pacquiao, already a longtime legend, and Keith Thurman, the man seeking to make his own, are at a compelling crossroads. It’s young lion versus old. It’s legacy versus wannabe. Pacquiao-Thurman Saturday night at the MGM Grand and on Fox pay-per-view television is loaded with all of the elements for a potential classic.

It’s anybody’s guess whether all of those pieces fall together into picture of anticipated drama or simply fall apart. There are lots of questions. Can Pacquaio’s 40-year-old body hold together against a younger and bigger Thurman? Can the 30-year-old Thurman battle through the injuries that have put his once-promising career on hold? Only the moment after an opening bell can provide those answers.

For now, however, there are platy of opinions about a welterweight bout that looms as the biggest fight of the summer, especially in the wake of Wednesday’s announcement that reigning middleweight Canelo Alvarez will postpone his planned Sept. 14 bout because of futile search for a suitable opponent.

For now, at least, there is a good fight that sets up further possibilities at 147 pounds. The PBC path leads to a welterweight unification bout, probably early next year against the Pacquiao-Thurman winner and the Errol Spence Jr.-Shawn Porter winner on Sept. 28 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

In part, that’s why Porter was there Thursday, part of round-table at the Grand Garden Arena alongside former middleweight champion Winky Wring, and ex Pacquiao foes Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales.

For the record, Porter was one of three who figures he’ll be facing Pacquiao. No reason to ask whether he thinks he’ll beat Spence. He wouldn’t have agreed to the fight if he didn’t think so.

“Pacquiao by decision,’’ said Porter, the World Boxing Council champion who did offer a disclaimer, saying that Thurman’s confidence and power could force the Filipino Senator into retirement.

Morales and Barrera agree with Porter. Barrera picks Pacquiao to win a decision. Morales says the Filipino wins, by knockout or decision. Both faced Pacquiao when he was near or at his prime. Morales fought him three times, winning the first and losing the next two.

“When I beat him, I was at my technical best and that’s what Thurman will have to be if he hopes to have a chance,’’ Morales said.

Pacquiao went 2-0 against Barrera — an 11^th-round knockout in 2003 and a unanimous decision in 2007.

“Psychologically, it’s tough to fight Pacquiao, because he keeps that pressure on you,’’ Barrera said.

Only Wright picked Thurman. But that was no surprise. Wright was a mentor a to young Thurman in gyms around the Tampa Bay area, where both grew up. Thurman was there, then a 16-year-old amateur, when Wright stunned Felix Trinidad, scoring a unanimous decision over the heavily-favored Puerto Rican on May 14, 2005, also the MGM Grand.

“Bobble-head night,’’ Thurman said of a bout he remembered for the way Wright’s deadly-accurate jab made Trinidad’s head bounce around as though his head were attached to his body by a spring.

Wright admires Pacquiao. But, he says, not even legends can beat the clock.

‘’Only Father Time is undefeated,’’ he said. “Over the many years and fights, it might take away just a split second from his speed. But that might be enough. How fast is this Manny as opposed to the Manny we knew in the day?’’

LAS VEGAS (July 18, 2019) – All-time boxing greats Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Winky Wright, plus WBC Welterweight World Champion Shawn Porter,previewed the Manny Pacquiao vs. Keith Thurman showdown for media on Thursday ahead the PBC on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event taking place this Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Two of the most popular Mexican fighters of their generation, Morales and Barrera both offered special insight into what it takes to match up against Pacquiao. A former four-division world champion, Morales faced Pacquiao three times, winning once, while Barrera, a three-division champion, battled Pacquiao twice, losing both contests.

A long-reigning 154-pound world champion during his career, Wright is from the same Tampa-area that Thurman hails from and has known Thurman since childhood. He was also trained by Thurman’s head coach Dan Birmingham. Porter and Thurman engaged in one of 2016’s most exciting fights, as Porter lost a narrow decision to Thurman before Porter went on to become a two-time welterweight champion last September.

Here is what the legends had to say Thursday from MGM Grand:

ERIK MORALES

“To win that fight I was very technical against Manny Pacquiao and that’s what Thurman needs to do and be prepared for, which I was on that night.

“You definitely have to have a good strategy against Manny Pacquiao, and you have to have your timing right against him because he will slip out. So you have to work on that, and if he gets out, you have to start again and pressure him.

“I’m definitely surprised that Pacquiao is still fighting at this age, due to the fact that he’s been through so many wars. So it’s definitely interesting that he’s still fighting at this high of a level. Then again, I’m not surprised because mentally and physically he’s still training and still maintaining a great training regiment, which he has always maintained all throughout his career.”

MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA

“When you’re facing Manny Pacquiao, you know that he’s a strong, explosive, fast fighter. It’s very impactful when you see him there in front of you, but we have Morales here who was one of few men to beat him, so it is possible.

“It’s very difficult to face Pacquiao. He’s a lefty and sometimes he jumps a meter away from you and then he’s right back in front of you. I’m a fighter that’s very technical so that made it even harder to hit Manny Pacquiao.

“Pacquiao puts in a lot of pressure and is always on top of you. Psychologically it’s a tough fight to fight Manny Pacquiao at any time because you think that he is going to go back but then he switches it up. He maintains a constant pressure on you mentally.

“Pacquiao hits to the body a lot. When he hits that left right into the stomach, it’s devastating. That’s how he hit me in that first fight that we had. Now he’s fighting a younger guy, 10 years younger than him, he is really going to work the body on Saturday.

“At the end of the day we all get nervous when we go into the ring especially with such a big event. But once you get into the ring and start fighting, you start adapting to it and then the plan of attack that you have been training for comes into play.”

WINKY WRIGHT

“When I first met Keith Thurman it was clear the incredible power this young kid had as well as his will to win. I think Manny Pacquiao is a great fighter and he will come out throwing a lot of punches, but I think Keith Thurman’s jabs and movements are harder than Manny thinks.

“Every fighter bets on himself or believes in himself. When I fought I bet on myself because I believed I was going to win no matter what. Keith is a fighter that believes in his ability. He believes that he’s going to go out there and knock Manny Pacquiao out. How he does it is a different thing.

“Manny is a fighter that’s in and out. He has great movement and can throw quick punches. He’s tough but father time is undefeated. Father time will get everyone. We were all great at one point but as you get older you lose that step and that one tenth of a second that took us from being great to being normal.

“That fight against Josesito Lopez allowed Keith to get his timing back and get back into the ring and remember what it feels like to get hit. Shawn put a lot of pressure on fighters. and most can’t see how much pressure he puts on. By seeing the fight with Shawn and seeing the fight with Lopez, Keith is showing you his diverse boxing game. A lot of people don’t understand that.

“Manny can hurt you, he throws a lot of good body shots, a lot of good strong shots and he can hurt you. But, I just think Keith is on his game right now. If he dictates Manny’s ability to jump in and out, then he can win this fight.”

“Manny Pacquiao looks good hitting the mitts and the bags but the bags don’t hit back. Fighters will tell you that all the time. The mitts don’t hit back, but Keith Thurman hits back. Manny Pacquiao hits back. Whichever fighter can impose their will on the other fighter, that’s the fighter that’s going to win.

SHAWN PORTER

“We all know what Manny has done. He’s a living legend and you cannot take that away from him. I think when the fight was announced everyone saw the young lion coming out and taking over, but I think that as people are started to look at this fight as a whole, they are starting to see that Manny Pacquiao is Manny Pacquiao. I think he’s the favorite to win this fight for a reason.

“Keith is not out of character at all this promotion. One thing about Keith is he does not say anything that he does not mean. He believes in everything he says. The confidence that you see coming from him now is very real. The number one thing about Keith is that he has the will to win. With 29 wins and 0 losses, he figures out a way to do it and I think going into this fight he says the way he is going to beat Manny is by destroying him and making him retire. He believes that he can do that within three rounds. I’m not mad at him. I’m a firm believer that he’s going to go out there and try to put the gas to the pedal really quick and try to get Manny out of there.

“Traditionally these kind of generation vs. generation matchups happen. It hasn’t happened in a very long time in boxing, but this is a part of the tradition. There’s always a guy that comes and takes over by taking out the guy who’s considered to be the legend. Since Mayweather has made his exit, everyone is putting Manny Pacquiao in that position again.

“The fact that this fight is happening is the best part about it. There’s so many different variables that add up in this fight. I think that that’s the best part about this matchup. It’s really interesting and exciting. I can pick Manny or he can pick Keith but at the end of the day, we all have to watch on Saturday night. I think it’s going to be a big explosion.”

# # #

ABOUT PACQUIAO VS. THURMAN
Order the PPV and visit PremierBoxingChampions.com for Fight Night Info and more on Manny Pacquiao and Keith Thurman.

Pacquiao vs. Thurman will pit boxing’s only eight-division world champion and Philippine Senator Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao against undefeated WBA Welterweight World Champion Keith “One Time” Thurman in the main event of a Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event Saturday, July 20 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will also feature undefeated former world champion Omar “El Panterita” Figueroa Jr. taking on Yordenis Ugás in a WBC welterweight title eliminator, plus hard-hitting former world champion Sergey Lipinets goes toe-to-toe against rugged veteran John “The Gladiator” Molina, Jr. and undefeated power-puncher Luis “Pantera” Nery faces slick-boxing Juan Carlos Payano in a bantamweight bout.

Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased online through AXS.com, charge by phone at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts International box office.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepageand www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA (July 18, 2019) – Trouble, oh Keith’s got trouble, right here in sin city! With a capital “T” and that rhymes with “D” and that stands for demolished! World-famous Freddie Roach, half Hall of Fame trainer and half Professor Harold Hill, was in a lyrical mood on Wednesday after watching boxer laureate Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs) go through a light workout before heading over to the final press conference. The amazin’ Manny, 40, boxing’s only eight-division world champion and the reigning Fighter of the Decade, is just two days away from challenging undefeated WBA welterweight super world champion ketchup king Keith “One Time” Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs), from Clearwater, Florida. The Pacquiao – Thurman welterweight world title attraction headlines a PBC on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event, live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, this Saturday, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.

“Thurman is ten years younger than Manny and Manny is the one who has been more active. This will be Manny’s third world title fight in 12 months! The pressure is all on Thurman to perform. I think he will make a show of it early and come after Manny. That’s when reality will set it,” said Roach. “Thurman will try to keep up with Manny’s pace and that’s when ‘One Time’ finds out what it’s like to fight All Time. Thurman will then be faced with an unenviable choice. Does he run away from an old man like Broner, or get pushed around the ring by an old man, like Matthysse? Manny will have the Fighter of the Year award wrapped up after this one.”

A bemused Manny laughed out lout after hearing Freddie…but he didn’t disagree.

“There is a big percentage that this fight will not go 12 rounds. That is not a prediction, just my analysis. If he goes toe-to-toe with me that will be lovely. It will make it a shorter fight.” said Manny. “Keith Thurman is a good fighter. His record shows that. His record also shows who he has fought. His era of opposition is a lot different than mine. The difference between the mentality of my era compared to Keith Thurman’s is I have a strong passion for the sport of boxing and he seems to have other interests. I still have something to prove at age forty. This is not about my legacy. It is about adding an important milestone to my résumé. It is about proving that at forty I can still fight anyone, that I am still relevant in boxing. I have pushed myself to the limit in training camp and I am prepared to push myself to the limit on July 20. Keith Thurman has talked a good game. We will see how far he is willing to push himself on Saturday night.”

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ABOUT PACQUIAO VS. THURMAN

Order the PPV and visit PremierBoxingChampions.com for Fight Night Info and more on Manny Pacquiao and Keith Thurman.

The Pacquiao-Thurman Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View begins at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT and will also feature undefeated former world champion Omar “El Panterita” Figueroa Jr. taking on Yordenis Ugás in a WBC welterweight title eliminator, plus hard-hitting former world champion Sergey Lipinets goes toe-to-toe against rugged veteran John “The Gladiator” Molina, Jr. and undefeated power-puncher Luis “Pantera” Nery faces slick-boxing Juan Carlos Payano in a bantamweight bout.

Promoted by MP Promotions, Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions, remaining tickets for the event can be purchased online through AXS.com, charge by phone at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts International box office.

For more information:

visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @MayweatherPromo, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports,www.facebook.com/foxdeportes and www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions.