By: Sean Crose

Not all that long ago he was one of the biggest stars in all of boxing. Make no mistake about it, Errol Spence Jr was a big deal. And with good reason. Victories against the likes of Amir Khan, Kell Brook, Mikey Garcia, and Yordenis Ugas gave the man a well-deserved reputation. He whacked at the body with thunder and could end a fight early as good as anyone else. Sure enough, there was good reason for the man to be popular and well regarded.

Then came Terence Crawford. Spence’s fellow welterweight titlist had been on a crash course with him for years. Boxing politics got in the way, but when the fight was finally signed, people were genuinely curious as to who might actually end up the victor. The fight seemed that close. In the end, however, Spence was dominated by Crawford, who beat, bloodied, and stopped him early. It was a true thrashing. It also clearly took a toll on Spence…not that the man could be blamed for it.

Now, years after the loss to Crawford, Ring Magazine is reporting that Spence is ready to fight again. If he’s really fit emotionally and physically, it’s good news for fight fans. Spence has been away for a long time and, again, he’s a pleasure to watch in action. It’s also been said courtesy of the Ring that Spence is supposed to be facing Tim Tszyu in his return fight. Like Spence, Tszyu is a man in need of a comeback. It could be an interesting affair. Spence-Tszyu is said to be going down this summer. No location has been announced.

The question now is what kind of fighting shape will Spence be in when he slips inside the ring to face Tszyu. It’s hard to say. At 35 Spence is no longer the young man he once was, and of course he’s been out of the ring a while. Then of course there’s the thrashing he took at the gloved hands of Crawford. Even if Spence is 90% of the fighter he once was, however, it will be a pleasure to see him back.