Three world titles are on the line as Errol Spence Jr. and Yordenis Ugas prepare to fight on April 16 in Arlington, Texas.

As is typical in the build-up to a fight, there has been a lot of media chatter about Spence and Ugas’ respective records. In an interview with Boxing Scene, Spence acknowledged Ugas’ talent but discredited his fight with Manny Pacquiao last year:

“Y’all keep bringing up Pacquiao but that’s like, you know, Larry Holmes fighting Ali or Terry Norris beating up ‘Sugar’ Ray Leonard or Maidana beating up Erik Morales… Pacquiao is way past his, you know, way past his prime.”

With this statement, Errol Spence Jr. is referencing three well-known fights where past their prime all-time greats were pitted against young jackals. The most well known of the three is the 1980 match-up between Larry Holmes and Muhammad Ali.

Spence: Ugas-Pacquiao Was Like Larry Holmes Fighting Ali, Terry Norris Beating Up Leonard https://t.co/uuuDGAqWSj pic.twitter.com/JOjsIxhMjp

— BoxingScene.com (@boxingscene) March 31, 2022

On October 2, 1980, Holmes and Ali met at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada for a fight that was ominously billed as ‘The Last Hurrah’. Though unknown to the public at the time, Ali was already showing signs of Parkinson’s disease. In the tenth round, after an overwhelmingly dominant performance by Holmes, Ali’s cornerman, Angelo Dundee, threw in the towel and forfeited the fight on the boxer’s behalf.

Errol Spence Jr. will try to make a statement

Errol Spence Jr. is the more celebrated of the two fighters. In 2019, he demonstrated incredible talent against ‘Showtime’ Shawn Porter, one of the most respected pressure fighters in recent memory.

Spence will no doubt try to make a statement in his upcoming fight. Following a car accident in 2019, the world champion was hospitalized in an intensive care unit. Though he was not permanently injured, he suffered facial and eye wounds. Ever since, his performances have been under close scrutiny. Ugas’ trainer, Ismael Salas, recently said that Spence is no longer the fighter he once was.

Despite the occasional jabs, both boxers have expressed admiration for each other. In his interview with Boxing Scene, for instance, Spence also said:

“He’s a great fighter. He’s gonna come to fight. He’s a real warrior, but I’m gonna put on a great show and great performance for my crowd. And I’m hungry, too, because like I said, this is, you know, my third chance at boxing. So, I won’t let the opportunity pass me, either.”