Errol Spence vs. Sebastian Fundora and Manny Pacquiao vs. Mario Barrios double-header is feasible for December.
It’s an fascinating card in a trainwreck sort of method, as Spence and Pacquiao are ring-worn and never preferrred candidates to be difficult for world titles. The tickets would promote, and it may herald some PPV buys for PBC on Prime Video pay-per-view.
Alan Dawson experiences that Spence-Fundora and Pacquiao-Barrios might be occurring on the identical evening in December. Spence (28-1, 22 KOs) would problem WBC and WBO junior middleweight champion Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs).
Within the different combat, 45-year-old Pacquiao (62-8-2, 39 KOs) could be dusting off the cobwebs of three years of inactivity to problem WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios (29-2, 18 KOs). Pacquiao misplaced his final combat in 2021 to Yordenis Ugas by a twelve-round unanimous choice.
Final June, Pacquiao appeared horrible being dominated in a three-round exhibition former by Ok-1 mild welterweight champion Rukiya Anpo in Tokyo, Japan. Pacquiao appeared all of 45 after which some in that exhibition match, and was fortunate it was solely three rounds.
If the World Boxing Council sanctioned a combat between inactive Pacquiao and Barrios for the 147-lb title, there could be a lot criticism. Given Pacquiao’s age, three years of inactivity, and the truth that he could be getting an underserved title shot forward of the contenders within the WBC’s rankings, it might be seen as unfair.
Barrios is considered because the weakest hyperlink at 147 among the many champions, so you may’t totally rule out a win for Pacquiao. Nonetheless, the Filpino star doesn’t deserve a title shot after three years out of the ring. He ought to a minimum of combat a top-five contender within the WBC’s rankings to indicate he charges a world title likelihood.
Spence, 34, hasn’t fought since being knocked out within the ninth spherical by Terence Crawford in July 2023. If he faces Fundora in December, he’d be coming off a 17-month layoff, and his possibilities of success in opposition to the 6’6″ Fundora could be slim. Followers would nonetheless wish to see it, nevertheless it nonetheless wouldn’t be an excellent state of affairs for Errol with out taking a tune-up.
The extra logical combat to make could be Pacquiao vs. Spence, given how washed each fighters take a look at this level of their careers. Neither man needs to be preventing lively world champions.
