Many a man, woman, and child has paid the price by underestimating Manny Pacquiao, known affectionately by the boxing community as the Pacman. Keep in mind that a lot of people dared to question why he ran for Senator in the 2016 Philippines Election. Not only did he run, but he won a seat due in large part to his popularity among his countrymen. Still, he has made a positive impression as a Senator after going toe to toe with the country’s feared leader President Rodrigo Duterte. Don’t underestimate Pacman.

As of today, Pacquiao is scheduled to enter the ring once again when he faces unified WBC/IBF welterweight belt holder Errol Spence. It’s worth noting this will be Spence’s 28th fight in a career that has seen him yet to lose. With a record of 27-0 and 21 KOs, many boxing experts consider him to be the reigning best pound-for-pound boxer in the world. Clearly, that puts him at the top of the Welterweight division.

If anyone is expecting Pacquiao to be concerned about an opponent with the talent of Spence, that would be the first mistake those people would be making. In his career, Pacquiao carried the unofficial title of best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport for many years. He earned that title by fighting and beating the likes of top fighters like Chris Algieri, Miguel Cotto, Juan Manuel Márquez, Marco Antonio Barrera, and Érik Morales on three occasions.

Don’t let the record of 62–7–2 fool you. With the exception of a surprising KO at the hands of Juan Manuel Márquez in 2012, Pacquiao has been there in every one of his losses. That includes a hard-fought loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2015, a decision that could have gone either way. For anyone who doesn’t know, Mayweather is generally considered one of the top 10 boxers to come along in the last 25 years. He made the mistake of underestimating a 36-year-old Pacquiao and almost paid the price.

Manny Pacquiao versus Errol Spence

On August 21, 2021, it will be Manny Pacquiao versus Errol Spence at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. In this Manny Pacquiao fight, Spence will be putting his WBC and IBF welterweight titles on the line. Bookmakers currently have Errol Spence betting at –450 to –480 with Pacquiao coming back as the underdog at around +380. Yes, a lot of sports bettors and bookmakers are underestimating one of the best-known and most popular senators in the world.

Can Pacquiao pull off the upset in the Errol Spence fight for one more trip to the top of the Welterweight ranks? It is important to remember that as of now, Pacquiao himself is a world titleholder. He won the WBA (Super) welterweight title two years ago when he took the title from the former undefeated Keith Thurman in a controversial split decision. Thurman was heard to have mentioned that he might have underestimated the fighting heart of his aged opponent.

At 31 years old, Spence is still in the prime of his career. The man has wicked fast hands and feet to go along with unusual power for a 147 pound Welterweight. A look at his sterling record against some very tough and talented opponents makes clear he is a deserving favorite in the Manny Pacquiao fight.

The Mountain Pacquiao Has to Climb

Heading into the Errol Spence fight, Pacquiao has a very big mountain to climb. It’s quite possible Spence is the best fighter he has ever faced, especially this late in his career. That’s saying a lot when one considers Mayweather Jr. is on the list of recent fights.

For Pacquiao, the obstacles are many. First and foremost, he will be entering the ring as a 42-year-old man, an age at which most fighters would have been retired for at least five years. Surely, he exhibits the wear and tear you would expect to see from a fighter who is fighting professionally for the 72nd time.

As for his fighting skills, he is not as quick as he used to be. He hasn’t scored a knockout since May of 2009 when he clobbered Ricky Hatton to win the IBO and The Ring light welterweight titles. Finally, Pacquiao still has a responsibility to the Filipinos who put him in the Philippines Senate. With election season officially underway, Pacquiao will have to work hard to carve out some training time and keep his mind on the upcoming Errol Spence fight.

With all that said, no one has ever questioned Manny’s heart. It would be fair to say he might well be one of the toughest fighters to come along in the last 50 years. Boxers don’t win 12 world titles over 8 divisions by accident. By the way, both of those numbers are boxing history records.

All of the Errol Spence betting says boxing fans, bettors, and experts believe Spence will add the Pacman to his list of victims. While that’s very possible, Spence would be making a serious mistake if he is underestimating his August 21 opponent. Manny may not hit hard enough to knock Spence out, but he still hits hard enough to make clear he can hurt any boxer on the planet.

Win or lose, Pacquiao will have his say in this bout. You can still count the number of times the Pacman has been on the floor of the ring on one hand. The box office on this fight is going to be big. Why? People will be signing on to see an old man (by boxing standards) and great warrior roar one more time in the ring.