By Chris Williams: Errol Spence Jr says he wants to fight Terence Crawford after beating Manny Pacquiao on August 21st and sending him into retirement.
Errol isn’t worried about what the 42-year-old Pacquiao brings to the table, as he sees him as someone he’ll easily beat in their clash on Fox Sports PPV. Pacquiao is too old, too small, and too inactive with his career at this point to worry Spence.
IBF/WBC welterweight champion Spence (27-0, 21 KOs) hopes that Al Haymon can set up the match against WBO champ Crawford for the undisputed 147-lb championship this year.
However, Spence says he’ll move up to 154 and start campaigning as a junior middleweight if that fight fails to happen.
Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) is expected to be reinstated as the WBA welterweight champion by the World Boxing Association, so his title will be available for Spence to take it from him on August 21st.
Spence no interest in Thurman or Porter fights
“Definitely,” Spence said to Barbershop Conversations when asked if he’ll be able to get a second fight in this year after Pacquiao.
“I don’t want nothing to do with Keith Thurman,” said Spence. “That ship sailed, that ship is gone. That’s been gone. I don’t want nothing to do with that man.
“He’s still a good fighter, and he can still fight, but that’s a fight I don’t have any interest in. I don’t think we’ll ever fight. He can fight Ugas then, but he ain’t going to get a fight with me.
“I like Shawn [Porter], but there’s no reason to fight Shawn. It’s not like Shawn is a big-ticket seller. I’d probably move up [rather than fighting Porter again].
“If Shawn had a belt, and we’d fight, but it’s really the only thing about me fighting Shawn is it would be a great fight if I decide to fight him in close.
“If I decide to use my distance and box him, it would be a way easier fight than the last fight. I just wanted to fight him.
“As you saw, as soon as the bell rung, I stepped to him. That’s just me making it the most exciting fight possible,” said Spence.
If Thurman was more active with his career, he might be an option for Spence.
Unfortunately, Thurman clearly lost his interest in boxing after getting a big payday against Danny Garcia in 2017.
Since that big money fight, Thurman has been taking it easy for the most part.
Porter is in the same boat. Since his loss to Spence in 2019, he’s done zero, fighting only once against bottom fringe contender Sebastian Formella and mostly just talking on his YoutTube channel.
Spence ready to retire Pacquiao
“I think I was 80% or 75 for Danny [Garcia],” said Spence. “I wasn’t right for Danny. And I wasn’t right at all. I just know if he was going to beat me, he was going to be in a real dog fight to beat me. And I knew I could beat him and outbox him easily.
“Now, I’m sharp as heck. I feel strong. I’m about 158 right now,” said Spence. “I want to get as strong as I can to knock out Manny Pacquiao and send him off to retirement.
“I’m expecting the same Manny Pacquiao we see every time, and he’ll come to fight. I’ll be a lot stronger than my previous fight [with Danny Garcia].
“If he’s looking at that, he should be looking at the Chris Algieri, Lamont [Peterson], Kell Brook, and all those fights. If he’s looking at the last fight thinking he’s spotted a weakness, he’s going to be in trouble.
“I think Bob [Arum] treats him like any athlete like he’s property. I don’t think he respects Terence,” said Spence. “And I think he’s going to try and get any money he can get out of him. I think Bob is frustrated with him.
“Me and him don’t know how we can make the fight happen,” said Spence about Crawford. “He’s got to get through Bob [Arum]. After the Pacquiao fight, hopefully, we can make something happen,” said Spence.
With Pacquiao, you can never say never, but if he takes another two-year layoff after the Spence fight, be too old to fight at 44.
