Former WBO featherweight champion Shakur Stevenson believes IBF/WBC welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr will easily defeat Manny Pacquiao in their Fox Sports PPV fight on August 31st.
Stevenson believes Spence (27-0, 21 KOs) will win if he does not become careless in the ring against Pacquiao, which is easy for him to do.
If you watched Spence's last two fights against Danny Garcia and Shawn Porter, you'd notice that both of those fighters found it relatively easy to nail him with their best shots.
Pacquiao, at 147 pounds, isn't a big puncher, so he'll have to land a lot of shots on Spence's chin to knock him out. He's unlikely to be able to pull it off.
Pacquiao's last KO came in 2009, against Miguel Cotto, and it was an uncalled for stoppage. Cotto was still fighting back when the referee stepped in from nowhere and called a halt to the fight.
Pacquiao's last true knockout came against Ricky Hatton in 2009, but he doesn't count because he was a light welterweight.
Spence defeats Pacquiao, according to Shakur
“I think I have a better chance against southpaws because there are certain fighters I've been watching my entire career, such as Floyd [Mayweather] and Andre Ward,” Stevenson told Fighthype.
“They compete against traditional fighters. I believe I will have more success fighting another southpaw, but Manny [Pacquiao vs. Errol Spence Jr.] will probably have a different experience, but Manny has faced a wide range of opponents.
“He may not have fought a southpaw in a long time, but he has fought a lot of fighters in his career.
“I'm pretty sure he should be straight with Errol Spence's style, but Errol Spence is a little bigger. He has a long range.
“As long as he doesn't get caught doing anything risky, that should be a breeze for Errol,” Shakur said.
Spence is a safe bet to win because very few people are picking Pacquiao, 42, to win.
Manny's chances of winning the fight are hampered by four factors:
Inactivity – returning to work after a two-year hiatus
At 5'5 1/2", he is short.
Power is insufficient.
epoch
Pacquiao's Speed Must Be Used
“I think he's [Pacquiao] going to have to use his speed and timing,” Shakur said of Pacquiao's chances against Spence.
“Manny has good timing and a fast reaction time. Because Errol is younger, stronger, and should be in better shape, I believe he will have to use his speed to try to get off before Errol does.
“I believe Manny Pacquiao will lose this fight as it progresses. So he has to try to get off as quickly as possible in order to stay ahead of the scoreboards,” Stevenson explained.
Pacquiao will need to get off to a fast start if he wants to win because his best chance is to build an early lead.
If Pacquiao wins four of the first six rounds, he has a chance to win the fight if he fights well enough in the second half when Spence comes charging back.
Crawford should square off against Porter or Thurman.
“I'm not happy with what's going on with Bud's situation,” Stevenson said of Terence Crawford. “Bud wants to compete in big fights. He wishes to engage in combat with all of these individuals.
“He is doing everything he can to make it happen, but he is not getting the fights. Bud's situation irritates me. It's business and politics, so I suppose it's inevitable.
When asked what fights Crawford should take if he can't get a match against Errol Spence Jr., Stevenson said, "Probably a Shawn Porter fight or Keith Thurman fight."
“Aside from that, he'd beat everybody. Nobody else comes close. “I'd like to see Crawford fight Danny Garcia as well,” Stevenson said of Crawford's opponent.
When it comes to big fights, WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford is currently out of luck. Crawford's contract with Top Rank expires this year, and he can always sign with a different promoter to potentially get the big fights he's craved for so long.
Until then, it's unlikely that Crawford will face any major names in his next fight under Top Rank's management.
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