Pacquiao-Spence is on; WBO orders Joshua to defend title next vs. Usyk

Twenty-six years into a glorious career and at age 42, Manny Pacquiao still dares to be great.

The all-time boxing legend and record-setting eight-division world champion will return to the ring to challenge unified welterweight world titlist Errol Spence Jr. on Aug. 21.

The bout, which will take place in Las Vegas — probably at the MGM Grand Garden Arena — will headline a Premier Boxing Champions card on Fox Sports pay-per-view.

Pacquiao had been linked to various fights in recent months with the likes of welterweight world titlist Terence Crawford, former four-division world titlist Mikey Garcia and even a possible boxing match with UFC superstar Conor McGregor, among them.

But on Friday, Pacquiao posted to social media artwork of him and Spence announcing the fight date, Las Vegas as the location and the broadcaster as did Spence (27-0, 21 KOs), 31, who wrote, “Done deal, I'll see y'all in Vegas for the biggest fight of the year.”

Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs), a senator in his native Philippines, will be fighting for the first time in 25 months, since his very impressive decision victory over Keith Thurman at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Pacquiao handed Thurman, a man 10 years younger than him, his first defeat and claimed his WBA welterweight world title. However, because of Pacquiao’s inactivity, the WBA stripped him of the belt in January and reclassified him as a so-called “champion in recess.”

“Unlike a lot of fake news that has circulated for the last year and half about fights with Terence Crawford and other contenders — a lot of different names were thrown around — the Senator is looking forward to fighting another great fighter in Errol Spence,” MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons said. “The timing of the Senator returning to Las Vegas, Nevada, the great state I live in, is perfect with the city re-opening fully, at 100 percent.

“The timing couldn’t be better to bring the eight-division world champion back to Las Vegas, where he’s had so many memorable nights, including his last history-making welterweight title victory against Keith Thurman when Manny became the oldest fighter ever to win a welterweight world title.”

I wrote about the Pacquiao-Spence deal for World Boxing News. Please read the story here: https://www.worldboxingnews.net/2021/05/22/exclusive-manny-pacquiao-errol-spence/

WBO orders Joshua-Usyk

The WBO on Saturday ordered unified heavyweight titlist Anthony Joshua to next face mandatory challenger Oleksandr Usyk, whose title shot is long overdue after becoming the mandatory nearly two years ago. The WBO gave the camps 10 days to make a deal or it will order a purse bid.

In doing so, the WBO denied Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, an extension to “show cause” why the organization should not immediately order the fight. Hearn had requested a delay from Friday’s deadline until 9 a.m. ET Monday.

“Please be advised that on Wednesday, May 19, 2021, this Committee issued a ‘Show Cause’ notice to Mr. Eddie Hearn on behalf of WBO Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua requesting his position within 48 hours upon issuance as to why the Committee shall not order the commencement of negotiations between Mandatory Challenger Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua per the recent events concerning the Arbitrator’s ruling in the Tyson Fury/Deontay Wilder rematch clause disputed rendered on Monday, May 17, 2021,” the WBO wrote in an email correspondence to Hearn and Usyk promoter Alex Krassyuk.

“In compliance with our order on Friday, May 21, 2021, Mr. Eddie Hearn filed email correspondence requesting an extension until Monday, May 24, 2021, at 9:00 (EST) to discuss the subject matter and other related affairs with Anthony Joshua. Whereas Team Usyk’s legal counsel, Mr. Patrick English, Esq., filed an email correspondence objecting to Mr. Hearn’s request and arguing that the foregoing is unreasonable and that Usyk is entitled to enforce his rights as mandatory challenger and consequently, Mr. Joshua shall proceed with his mandatory or vacate the title.

“Wherefore, having exchanged numerous internal communications with Team Joshua, having granted Team Joshua multiple extensions, having reviewed all relevant communications between Team Joshua/Team Usyk, having examined the parties arguments and positions regarding the subject matter, and having considered that sufficient time has elapsed on the matter before this Committee, and pursuant with our WBO Rules and Regulations of World Championship Contests and their enforcement in these matters, it is hereby ruled as follows: The extension request is hereby DENIED.”

In giving the parties 10 days to make a deal, the WBO also set forth the purse split if the fight does wind up at a purse bid. The split would be “no greater than 80/20 in favor of Anthony Joshua,” the WBO wrote in its letter. “Such calculation is based upon the average purse of each fighter’s last three bouts.” In addition, the minimum offer should a purse bid be necessary is $1 million — although obviously any winning bid would be astronomically higher than that.

Former undisputed cruiserweight champion Usyk (18-0, 13 KOs), 34, of Ukraine, had initially agreed to step aside and allow Joshua (24-1, 22 KOs), 31, of England, to first face Fury for the undisputed title in August in Saudi Arabia.

However, once former titlist Wilder (42-1-1, 41 KOs), 35, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, won his arbitration case against Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs), 32, of England, to have his rights to a third fight against Fury upheld this past Monday, Usyk’s team pressed the mandatory issue with the WBO.

Now, Fury-Wilder III is penciled in to take place July 24 in Las Vegas with Joshua-Usyk likely ticketed for August. Should Fury and Joshua prevail, they would likely seek to face each other near the end of the year for the undisputed crown under the same terms they had agreed to for August.