Boxing
Demons down under: Can Spence avoid Pacquiao trap on comeback?
Joshua vs. Prenga: Only on DAZN PPV - Saturday
Errol Spence Jr. has more than his reputation on the line when he returns to the ring after a three-year absence this Sunday.
The legendary unified welterweight champion was, at his peak, considered one of the sport's major pound-for-pound draws.
Yet it has been a long time since he last stepped onto the canvas competitively, a gap that stretches way back to July 2023.
Defeat against another future Hall-of-Famer in Terence Crawford was no mean result. But it is one Spence seeks to banish.
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His hopes that he will do so against Tim Tszyu could be well-founded here. But Australia can often get the best of great men.
As he heads down under, DAZN News explains why Spence should heed the hard lessons of Manny Pacquiao nine years ago.
Why did Pacquiao fight in Australia?
Having retired after his trilogy bout with Timothy Bradley, legendary multi-weight champion Pacquiao swiftly returned in 2016.
His victory over Jessie Vargas earned him the WBO welterweight strap, and with it, a clash against Horn, their top contender.
Initially, plans were announced, before a potential bout with Amir Khan took precedence, with a waiting game ensuring after.
Ultimately though, plans for the Briton fell through and Pacquiao agreed to face Horn in a clash at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.
Plenty expected a relatively routine defence for the star, with the Filipino reportedly earning $10m against $500,000 for his rival.
What happened in Pacquiao-Horn?
Matters did not pan out the way Pacquiao intended though. In an oft-controversial bout, the star found himself frequently roughed.
Horn, tenacious and relentless, kept the pressure on in a back-and-forth affair, with tactics that often bordered on troublesome.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
But the gameplan worked. Pacquiao found himself pulled into a brilliant and bloody encounter, one that brought the red mist out.
After a dozen rounds, Horn scored one of the sport's all-time great upsets with a unanimous decision victory to take the WBO belt.
Pacquiao was keen for a rematch, and plans were floated by promoter Bob Arum. But ultimately, the pair never met in the ring again.
Will Spence avoid repeating history?
Albeit without the favourite tag that sat heavy for Pacquiao in the end, Spence will be keen to ensure he does not fall foul here too.
Like Horn, Tszyu will be a vocal home favourite at Sydney's Afterpay Arena, backed broadly to the hilt by a partisan crowd of fans.
Should their encounter go the distance, Spence and his team may be leery of such noise and thunder influencing the ringside calls.
For his own sake, 'The Truth' will need to offer something composed and intelligent against a worthy opponent when he steps out.
The mind games are already in the mix. But it will take something more than that for Spence to leave Australia with his hand in the air.
Joshua vs. Prenga - exclusively on DAZN PPV
Watch Anthony Joshua's hugely anticipated return to the ring versus Kristian Prenga on Saturday, July 25 only on DAZN PPV. Buy as a one-off PPV or included, along with Itauma vs. Hrgovic and Canelo vs. Mbilli PPVs, with a DAZN Ultimate Tier subscription.
