By Jeff Zimmerman
If anything phases undefeated IBF welterweight champ Errol Spence Jr. (24-0, 21 KOs), as he hosted the Dallas-Fort Worth media Tuesday at World Class Boxing Gym owned by his trainer Derrick James, one would be hard-pressed to figure it out. He’s a hardhat and lunch pail type of guy and one of the best fighters in the world, that just so happens to be fighting another one of boxing’s elite in 4X world champion Mikey Garcia (39-0, 30 KOs) on one of sport’s biggest stages at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and home of the Dallas Cowboys, on Saturday, March 16th and shown live on PBC on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View.
And what is undoubtedly his biggest fight since winning his first title overseas against Kell Brook in May 2017, Spence Jr. at 29, is on the verge of greatness, but his demeanor and personality, calm, cool and collected is almost mystifying in the world of social media and hype. In other words, he lets his fists do the talking for the most part.
He is on everyone’s top 5 pound-for-pound list, possesses knockout power in both fists and can crack that million dollar smile ala Sugar Ray Leonard at any time, but he is soft-spoken and not a self-promoter or arrogant by any stretch. It’s just not his makeup or DNA.
With that said, he is hyper-competitive and will tell you exactly what he thinks if asked. A few years back when he was chasing his first world title, he told Fightnews that Keith Thurman thought he was the big, bad wolf and everyone was afraid of him, yet Spence Jr. yearned for that fight back then and even called him out. What a difference a few years makes.
But even with one world title under his belt, Spence Jr. understands to become an all-time great and create that legacy he desires, he will have to fight the other champions in the stacked 147lb division, considered one of, if not, the best in the sport. Before he was avoided because he didn’t hold a title and the risk factor involved and now that he has the title, the excuse is usually due to business reasons on why the fights against the likes of Danny Garcia and Keith Thurman haven’t happened to date.
Spence Jr., though, is ok with that for now as he looks at the ultra-skilled Mikey Garcia as a serious challenger, but he also knows the outcome could come with potential naysayers.
“He’s a real fighter, a true fighter, but it’s a double edge sword,” said Spence Jr. “Me knocking him out in the 1st round, they are going to say he’s too small. Me just punishing him throughout the whole fight, they are going to say it’s a size advantage, size difference. And I’m his highest payday and then he can go fight for his belt at 35 and 40.”
Spence Jr. added, “I just feel like it’s a win, win for him and he’s getting more notoriety.”
But Spence Jr. also recognizes the bright side of a fight with Mikey Garcia.
“It is a win for me and that notoriety too. And the platform I am fighting on is a win for me at this stage of my career, I want that platform, huge fanbase and be a cross-over star, superstar. From that aspect, it is going to be a big fight for me.”
Spence Jr. was a boxing fan long before he became a fighter and knows a fight with Garcia has the potential to be special, after all, styles make fights.
“It definitely has the platform to be the biggest fight of the year. You know in my fights I am always in good fights and Mikey is always in great fights. Not just great fights, but we always put on dominating performances. Our styles mesh well – we got good crowd-pleasing styles.”
“With us coming together it could be fight of the year. Skill versus skill, mentally, everything coming together, boxing IQ wise. This is what everyone wanted, if you’re a real boxing fan. If you’re a casual boxing fan, you’ll come out and watch this fight.”
Trainer Derrick James also believes this could be one of the best fights in a generation and put it into historical perspective.
“It could be very boring or the best fight they have seen in many years. I think it will be the best fight they have seen in many years because Mikey and Errol are going to let it all hang out. They are going to go out and go get it.”
“I think it could be a Ray Leonard or Hagler fight or Ray Leonard and Tommy Hearns or Ray Leonard and Duran. I think the nostalgic feeling we get from this fight is what we got from the fights in the 80’S, 70’s when guys were fighting each other, Ray Leonard fighting Benitez, that’s what it’s all about.”
Spence Jr. is by no means looking past Garcia but has his eye on all-time great Manny Pacquiao before the Filipino senator hangs up his gloves for good.
“It’s a no brainer,” Spence Jr. stated. “He’s a future hall of famer, he has broken all these records, he’s a humongous draw and he’s getting older. He has a few fights left in him. No telling who he might fight and then might retire.”
“I don’t really think it’s a passing of the torch, but it is a huge resume and cross-over fight, because Pacquiao’s a really big name, he’s a cross-over fighter and he’s an icon in the sport. Just to get that fight with him and beat him that would be kind of a passing of the torch in that sense.”
This fight has been building up since the end of last year and Spence Jr. feels the difference in this camp especially without Jermell Charlo alongside him.
“It has been a little bit long. I’m usually in camp with Jermell, because he has a fight next to mine. But camp is always long. You’re training every day, not eating what you want to eat, seeing crap on TV and always passing by this place or restaurant.”
“Camp is always hard and grueling and long if you’re really training and focused like you’re supposed to. You just enjoy the process. After the fight, you just take everything in. Two to three weeks after the fight I go through withdrawals. I got nothing to do now. I made all this money, been training for 9-10 weeks and now just waking up with no purpose,” Spence Jr. chuckled.
For James, it’s all about putting together the finishing touches leading up to fight night.
“I think we’re great, I think we’re good. Every day there is room to get better, get more focused. He seems very focused and that’s what it’s all about. The last two weeks is all about focus, all about strategy and all about game plan.”
Although his path to unification has been somewhat diverted, Spence Jr. has faith in the process and Al Haymon to make it happen.
“It’s about everything. With unification comes the money too. I think it’s about everything adding up at once. Floyd won all these belts and still got the money too. It’s about making right business decisions and I think I got the right person behind me that knows how to put you in the right place to make these decisions.”
And Spence Jr. is confident that the elusive fights with the other top dawgs of the division will come to fruition very soon.
“It’s the perfect time and it’s definitely going to happen especially after this Garcia fight and the performance I have in my head that I know I’m going to put on, those fights are definitely going to happen,” Spence Jr. explained. “Those type of guys and these big events, they can’t say the money is not right. It makes sense for it to happen, so I think it’s going to happen, definitely.”
Spence Jr. added, “And it’s great, if you notice, everybody’s fighting around the same time. Me, Shawn, Keith fought a month ago, Pacquiao just fought in January, everybody is basically free in the summertime.”
But before he gets ahead of himself, he is ready to seize the moment and show Garcia and the world he was made for fights like this.
“I just want to fill the arena and show that I’m a star. I want it to be a great event and great crowd there.”