EIGHT-DIVISION world champion Manny Pacquiao, at 42, could take on anyone—including Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) superstar Conor McGregor or unified welterweight world champion Errol Spence Jr.—despite his age, according to the senator’s long-time strength and conditioning Justine Fortune.
McGregor expressed interest in facing the reigning World Boxing Association welterweight champion Pacquiao after his second fight with Dustin Poirier on January 23 in UFC 257 in Abu Dhabi.
The Pacquiao-McGregor fight is set in Dubai.
Fortune said the fight will be a walk in the park for Pacquiao (62-7-2 win-loss-draw record with 39 knockouts).
“If this is just for a ridiculous amount of money, then absolutely, because you take the fight and Pacquiao gets rid of McGregor in [just] less than two rounds max. And that’s a great payday,” Fortune said. “And there’s nothing Conor McGregor can ever bring to the table that Pacquiao should worry about.”
Pacquiao’s overall skills set is even far superior than unbeaten American World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation welterweight world champion Spence, who recently defeated Danny Garcia via unanimous decision last December 5 in Arlington, Texas.
“Errol Spence is very slow and not fast at all. Pacquiao is much, much faster than Spence. I was very disappointed in the [Spence-Garcia] fight personally,” Fortune said. “I thought Danny Garcia didn’t show up and didn’t capitalize on any. Danny hit him with good shots.”
Manny will destroy him if he’s the one who hit those shots. All of those who fought Pacquiao were rushed to the hospital after the fight,” he added.
Pacquiao, Fortune said, is fast, skillful and strong—qualitied he maintained during this pandemic.
“Spence is a good fighter, and obviously he is a world champion, a triple A fighter, [but] Manny Pacquiao is a freak of nature,” Fortune said. “Even at 42 , he is Pacquiao and he’s just different.”
Fortune has been in Pacquiao’s camp for 18 years now, including the last three fights against Lucas Matthysse, Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman.
Pacquiao scored a seventh round technical knockout in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, over Matthysse last July 15, 2018, that resurrected his boxing career after a controversial unanimous decision setback to Australian Jeff Horn in Brisbane, Australia, a year ago.
Pacquiao celebrated his 42nd birthday in General Santos City without the usual festival.
