Undefeated Errol Spence Jr. Proving Why He Is The Truth
Undefeated Errol Spence Jr. Proving Why He Is The Truth
After watching him spar 17 Rounds with an U.S Olympic heavyweight hopeful, it’s easy to see why welterweight contender Errol Spence, Jr. has been labeled the next big thing in boxing.
By Kendrick E. Johnson
After watching him spar 17 Rounds with an U.S Olympic heavyweight hopeful, it’s easy to see why welterweight contender Errol Spence, Jr. has been labeled the next big thing in boxing.
The powerful punching southpaw and Dallas native may not be a household name just yet, but with every appearance and big victory he records on Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions series, Spence’s fan base gets bigger.
Spence’s next fight with Chris Algieri on April 16 will be his fifth fight on network or cable television since last April. Getting this consistent type of national exposure is helping the Dallas native in his fight to get his name out in the boxing game.
“I’ve been fighting on TV since my pro debut was on Showtime Extreme, so I’ve been fighting on TV and I think it’s turning me into a star real fast,” Spence, Jr. said. “Hopefully with me fighting on TV, I can become a main event fighter and get some of these top fighters in the ring.”
With a growing fan base and sparkling record, Spence (19-0, 16 KOs) is carrying the dreaded label of being the most avoided man in the welterweight division and the sport of boxing. With each victory he racks up, young Spence transforms from contender to challenger and moves a step closer to the title shot he craves for.
After a fight in June – Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. who was promoting the card Spence was on suggested he fight WBA welterweight champion Keith Thurman next.
When the proposed fight was brought to Thurman’s attention, he laughed off the idea. Responses by boxers of Thurman’s caliber who just a couple of years ago was in the same position, is indicative of the place Spence is at right now: All the talent in the world, but not quite ready—by boxing’s inscrutable traditional standards—to face the absolute top of the heap.
This can be attributed to Spence’s lack of professional experience in the eyes of some or the lack of quality in his opposition.
Hopefully fighting Algieri (21-2, 8 KOs) who almost upset Amir Kahn last year, will prove Spence is not fighting scrub opponents and deserves a shot at a high profile fight by the end of 2016. With the Algieri fight serving as a IBF title eliminator, a win and solid performance could finally give the talented southpaw his elusive title shot this summer against champion Kell Brook.
Despite all the politics and obstacles that come with rising up the ranks, Spence, Jr. has some high lofty goals he plans to accomplish in the welterweight division.
“I want to fight the best fighters, I want to get world titles and I want to unify all the belts,” Spence Jr. said. “I want to wipe out the 147-pound division so I can move up to 154 and catch all the best up there too. My goal is to be the undisputed champion at 147.”
This hungry ypung lion is on mission to make his dreams a reality and prove to everyone in the boxing world, that Mayweather knew what he was talking about when he claimed Spence, as the future of the sport.
“I just got to live up to the hype - just stay focused, stay discipline and stay grounded,” Spence said. “As long as I keep doing what I’ve been doing - putting on spectacular performances, I know one day I can be a pay-per-view star.”
After watching him spar 17 Rounds with an U.S Olympic heavyweight hopeful, it’s easy to see why welterweight contender Errol Spence, Jr. has been labeled the next big thing in boxing.
The powerful punching southpaw and Dallas native may not be a household name just yet, but with every appearance and big victory he records on Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions series, Spence’s fan base gets bigger.
Spence’s next fight with Chris Algieri on April 16 will be his fifth fight on network or cable television since last April. Getting this consistent type of national exposure is helping the Dallas native in his fight to get his name out in the boxing game.
“I’ve been fighting on TV since my pro debut was on Showtime Extreme, so I’ve been fighting on TV and I think it’s turning me into a star real fast,” Spence, Jr. said. “Hopefully with me fighting on TV, I can become a main event fighter and get some of these top fighters in the ring.”
With a growing fan base and sparkling record, Spence (19-0, 16 KOs) is carrying the dreaded label of being the most avoided man in the welterweight division and the sport of boxing. With each victory he racks up, young Spence transforms from contender to challenger and moves a step closer to the title shot he craves for.
After a fight in June – Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. who was promoting the card Spence was on suggested he fight WBA welterweight champion Keith Thurman next.
When the proposed fight was brought to Thurman’s attention, he laughed off the idea. Responses by boxers of Thurman’s caliber who just a couple of years ago was in the same position, is indicative of the place Spence is at right now: All the talent in the world, but not quite ready—by boxing’s inscrutable traditional standards—to face the absolute top of the heap.
This can be attributed to Spence’s lack of professional experience in the eyes of some or the lack of quality in his opposition.
Hopefully fighting Algieri (21-2, 8 KOs) who almost upset Amir Kahn last year, will prove Spence is not fighting scrub opponents and deserves a shot at a high profile fight by the end of 2016. With the Algieri fight serving as a IBF title eliminator, a win and solid performance could finally give the talented southpaw his elusive title shot this summer against champion Kell Brook.
Despite all the politics and obstacles that come with rising up the ranks, Spence, Jr. has some high lofty goals he plans to accomplish in the welterweight division.
“I want to fight the best fighters, I want to get world titles and I want to unify all the belts,” Spence Jr. said. “I want to wipe out the 147-pound division so I can move up to 154 and catch all the best up there too. My goal is to be the undisputed champion at 147.”
This hungry ypung lion is on mission to make his dreams a reality and prove to everyone in the boxing world, that Mayweather knew what he was talking about when he claimed Spence, as the future of the sport.
“I just got to live up to the hype - just stay focused, stay discipline and stay grounded,” Spence said. “As long as I keep doing what I’ve been doing - putting on spectacular performances, I know one day I can be a pay-per-view star.”