Spence calls Pacquiao “a living legend”

CEBU, Philippines — They haven’t clashed in the ring yet, much more meet face-to-face but the unbeaten WBC and IBF welterweight titleholder Eroll “The Truth” Spence Jr. has nothing but respect and admiration for Pinoy ring star Manny Pacquiao.

Spence, sporting a perfect 26-0 record packed with 21KOs, had long been targeting Pacquiao and although his desired fight is nowhere in sight for now, he looks forward to a showdown with boxing’s only eight-division world champion some time next year.

“He’s on his way out, so I’d love to have that fight,” said the Long Island, New York-native Spence in a report by Scott Christ of badlefthook.com

“Pacquiao has been in the sport 20-something years, he’s an icon even outside the sport. Everybody knows who Manny Pacquiao is. That would be a great fight for me,” added Spence, who calls Pacquiao “a living legend”.

But before thinking of Pacquiao, the 30-year-old Spence must take care of his first order of business, defending his WBC and IBF 147-pound crowns against former two-division world champion Danny Garcia (36-2, 21KOs) on December 5 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

If victorious, that will most likely set up the stage for Spence to a unification bout with Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39KOs), the reigning WBA Super welterweight king.