Manny Pacquiao stands to become a four-belt welterweight holder by the time the mushroom cloud dissipates on 21 August in Las Vegas.
That is because aside from Errol Spence’s World Boxing Council (WBC) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) straps, also expected to be on the line at T-Mobile Arena are Pacquiao’s soon-to-be-reinstalled World Boxing Association (WBA) and even The Ring magazine’s titles.
Upon Pacquiao’s arrival at home in Los Angeles, a bigwig from the Venezuela-based WBA paid homage to the Filipino eight-division champion yesterday, a sign that the governing body will soon give back its version of the 147-lb crown to the rightful owner.
Last January, the WBA took the title away from Pacquiao owing to inactivity.
Not even the explanation that Pacquiao was unable to fight because of the coronavirus pandemic could convince the WBA big bosses.
But realizing the magnitude of the Pacquiao-Spence slugfest, the WBA has decided to vote on the title’s fate anytime soon.
Sean Gibbons, head of the Pacquiao-owned MP Promotions, confirmed also that The Ring belt could also be on the line in what ringsiders have labeled as a slam-bang all-southpaw showdown.
The high-ranking WBA who came by to welcome Pacquiao back in America was Jose Oliver Gomez of Panama, who serves as the Special Assistant and Advisor to WBA president Gilberto Mendoza.
Gomez is also a member of the WBA’s Board of Directors and had acted as fight supervisor when Pacquiao fought Juan Manuel Marquez in May 2004 and Keith Thurman in July 2019. Pacquiao, 42, will be returning to the ring for the first time in over two years.
Spence, younger by more than ten years, was last seen in active mode last December when he beat Danny Garcia.
Because of his sheer advantage in age, physical attributes and Pacquiao’s inactivity, oddsmakers have put Spence as a big betting favorite at -450 ($450 wins $100).
Pacquiao, in contrast, is an underdog at +350 ($100 win $350).
Pacquiao, meanwhile, is expected to report for the first time at the Wild Card on Monday (Tuesday in Manila) after enduring a long trip that saw their plane making a medical emergency at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport before heading back to Manila.
