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 sports legend that has proven that he is still worthy of his long-held standing in recent years. 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 cement further 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.
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 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.’’
After serving two terms as Congressman, Pacquiao was elected to a Philippine Senate seat in May 2016, capturing over 16 million votes nationally.
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), hails from Sarangani Province in the Philippines, is the only sitting Congressman and Senator to win a world title.
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, marking 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 will be happy with this world championship fight. It is going to be wild!”
