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Boxing: Pacquiao vows 'I'm not done yet' after two-year layoff

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Manny Pacquiao poses for media at Wild Card Boxing Club on August 04, 2021 in Los Angeles, California ahead of his fight against Errol Spence Jr. on Aug. 21 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Michael Owens, Getty Images/AFP" src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/tvpatrol/08/03/pacman.jpg"/><figcaption>Manny Pacquiao poses for media at Wild Card Boxing Club on August 04, 2021 in Los Angeles, California ahead of his fight against Errol Spence Jr. on Aug. 21 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Michael Owens, Getty Images/AFP</figcaption></figure></div>LOS ANGELES -- Former world champion Manny Pacquiao says he feels young again after a two-year layoff as he prepares to fight unbeaten world champion Errol Spence for two welterweight boxing crowns.The 42-year-old Filipino southpaw, an eight-division world champion, faces American Spence on August 21 at Las Vegas for the International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Council crowns.&quot;I could have fought several easy opponents,&quot; Pacquiao said Wednesday. &quot;I picked the best opponent because I want to add more to my legacy and accomplishments. I have to prove that I&#x27;m not done yet.&quot;Pacquiao, 62-7 with two drawn and 39 knockouts, last fought in July 2019 when he beat American Keith Thurman for the World Boxing Association version of the 147-pound division throne.But the Philippine senator was stripped of the crown in January due to inactivity.&quot;It has been two years since I&#x27;ve been in the ring and it was good for me to have that rest,&quot; he said. &quot;It helped my body and my mind a lot. This time around, I&#x27;m as excited as ever and feeling like I&#x27;m young again.&quot;I never imagined being at this point now when I started my career. To be here now and still fighting the best, it&#x27;s truly a gift that I&#x27;ve received.&quot;Pacquiao left his future in the ring uncertain after the showdown with Spence.&quot;This could be my last fight or there could be more,&quot; he said. &quot;Like I&#x27;ve always said, it&#x27;s one at a time. After the fight, I&#x27;ll talk about the plan and see if there&#x27;s another fight coming.&quot;I want to fight and bring honor to my country. At the same time, I&#x27;m also here to show for myself that I can still do it at 42.&quot;Pacquiao said he still feels the same fire he has in training for the past 15 years as he prepares for an aggressive rival in Spence, who is 27-0 with 21 knockouts.&quot;I have lots of advantages in this fight. My speed and power, along with my strategy and experience, are all advantages for me,&quot; Pacquiao said.&quot;We have a strategy that we know how to use against a southpaw. He wants to fight toe-to-toe and that&#x27;s going to be to my advantage. We&#x27;re prepared for anything. If he wants to use his reach advantage instead, we&#x27;re ready.&quot;<div>© Agence France-Presse</div>

Former world champion Manny Pacquiao says he feels young again after a two-year layoff.