Tag Archives: Errol Spence Jr

Posted on 04/12/2022

By: Hans Themistode

There’s a loud and consistent thud that can be heard in the confines of a Dallas gym. As that deafening noise continues, Errol Spence Jr. sweats profusely as he blasts away at the heavy bag with head trainer Derrick James standing closely by his side.

For the past several months, Spence Jr.’s nonstop training regime, he believes, has been necessary as he inches closer toward his ring return. On April 16th, at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Spence Jr. will attempt to defend his unified welterweight throne when he takes on WBA champion, Yordenis Ugas.

Not to be outworked, Ugas has also endured an arduous training camp, as he looks to prove oddsmakers wrong. Though many believe it’s unlikely Spence Jr. will come up short, the Dallas native wants Ugas to receive all of the credit in the world should he come out victorious against him on April 16th.

“If I lose, it will be because he’s better than me,” said Spence Jr. on All Access. “It wouldn’t be just because I didn’t train 100% or I wasn’t focused.”

Spence Jr.’s need to turn up the intensity in his current training camp, comes from a sense of gratitude. Following a horrific car wreck in 2019, Spence Jr. was forced to spend well over a year on the sidelines. Once he returned, the unified star made it look incredibly against Danny Garcia, winning a lopsided unanimous decision in December of 2020.

One year later, Spence Jr. suffered another setback, this time, in the form of a detached retina in his right eye. Due to his latest injury, Spence Jr. was forced to withdraw from his then, upcoming bout against Manny Pacquiao.

With his injury woes now seemingly behind him, Spence Jr. is determined to prove that he is, in fact, the best fighter that the welterweight division has to offer. Currently, as Spence Jr. looks anxiously at the sand inside the hourglass, he believes that at the moment, he’s at his peak.

“I feel indestructible. I just feel like, another fighter can’t beat me.”

Posted on 04/06/2022

By: Hans Themistode

Errol Spence Jr. has heard the conversations loud and clear for the past few years now.

Although many believe that the unified welterweight star is the best fighter in the division, there are an equal number of fans who are under the assumption that Terence Crawford, actually holds that distinction.

With both 147 pounders jockeying for the top position, Spence Jr. remains optimistic that they will finally share the ring in the near future to settle the debate.

“I think so,” said Spence Jr. during an interview with Ray Flores. “I’m hopeful that it can happen.”

After becoming the first man to stop Shawn Porter in November of 2021, Crawford has made his feelings well known that he would love nothing more than to face Spence Jr. next.

All along, regardless of Crawford’s public callouts, Spence Jr. remained mostly mum. But, despite being reticent, Spence Jr. has remained true to his original words. Several years ago, the Dallas native stated that he would first place his attention on adding the WBC and WBA championships to his IBF trinket, before focusing on Crawford’s WBO belt.

Presently, with Crawford becoming an official free agent, Spence Jr. is of the belief that a showdown between them can finally come to fruition. Nevertheless, Yordenis Ugas, the current WBA 147 pound titlist, serves as the biggest impediment to said matchup.

On April 16th, at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, both Ugas and Spence Jr. will face off in a three-belt unification. Yet, in spite of his impending matchup against Ugas, Spence Jr. has been bombarded with nonstop questions regarding Crawford.

While Spence Jr. is frothing over the possibility of adding the black and gold belt of Ugas to his ever-growing collection, their showdown represents more than just an opportunity to add another world title to his trophy case. More than anything, a victory over Ugas, Spence Jr. believes, will open the doors to some of the biggest fights in the sport of boxing.

“Not looking past Ugas at all. That’s my main priority. That’s the guy I have to look at because I gotta beat him to get Terence Crawford or anybody else. I wanna get the third belt and become undisputed so that’s my ultimate goal. I gotta get past this test so I’m not looking past Ugas at all.”

Posted on 04/06/2022

By: Hans Themistode

Normally stoic and stone-faced, Errol Spence Jr. couldn’t stop himself from smiling when Manny Pacquiao inked his name on the dotted line.

Having watched Pacquiao fight as a youngster, Spence Jr. believed that a matchup against the surefire future first ballot Hall of Famer was exactly what he needed to take his career to the next level.

With the pair officially set to square off on August 21st, 2021, Spence Jr. underwent a grueling eight-week camp in preparation to take on the former eight-division world titlist. But as Spence Jr.’s time in camp began winding down, he was given heartbreaking news.

With only one week left before taking on by far the most notable opponent of his career, Spence Jr. was informed that he would be unable to participate due to a partial detachment in his right retina. So, with the Dallas native officially forced to withdraw, Yordenis Ugas, the current WBA welterweight champion, was given the call.

A despondent Spence Jr. watched from his palatial estate as Ugas banked round after round on the night. With each passing second, Spence Jr. could only shake his head as Pacquiao missed with wild punches and often paid the price as Ugas landed countless blows on the then, 42-year-old.

Ultimately, the unified welterweight star has grown to live with the lost opportunity. However, after witnessing the beating Ugas dished out to the future Hall of Famer, Spence Jr. believes that Pacquiao would’ve endured a thrashing like no other had he been able to face him.

“Watching Pacquiao fight, I was like man, that should’ve been me,” said Spence Jr. during an interview with Brian Custer on ShowTime Sports. “Man, I could’ve hurt this man. I was like damn but it is what it is.”

Now that Spence Jr. has recovered fully from his eye injury, he’ll look to end the momentum of Ugas. The pair will participate in a three belt unification in less than two weeks on April 16th, at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Posted on 04/05/2022

By: Hans Themistode

Like many in the boxing world, Ismael Salas grabbed a seat near his television set, reclined comfortably, and watched carefully as Errol Spence Jr. and Danny Garcia traded blows in the center of the ring in December of 2020.

Roughly one year prior, it seemed incredibly unlikely that the Dallas native would survive his horrific car wreck, let alone box again. In September of 2019, Spence Jr. successfully truncated the world title reign of Shawn Porter, winning his WBC title in Los Angeles, California’s Staples Center.

Although the newly turned 32-year-old was ecstatic over the win, he was violently knocked off his high horse as he was flung from his sports vehicle in October of 2019, during a mind-numbing crash.

Despite the jaw-dropping videos that were released, Spence Jr. suffered only facial abrasions, along with a few broken teeth, and minimal injuries. In total, Spence Jr. would spend just over a year in the recovery room before taking on Garcia, a former two-division world titlist.

With the anticipation at its highest, Salas watched every second of every round meticulously. Though Spence Jr. would go on to win a wide decision on the night, Salas placed his hand on his chin as he began pondering what he just witnessed. After diving into Spence Jr.’s performance even further, Salas believes that he is no longer the same ferocious fighter that he once was. Even now, almost a year and a half later, Salas is unable to pinpoint the missing ingredient in the unified welterweight champions game.

“In my personal view, that’s nothing to take away from him but he was not the same guy who fought with Shawn Porter to the same guy who fought with Danny Garcia,” explained Salas to a group of reporters. “Something missing. He was missing something there. For the reason? I don’t know. Maybe the fire, maybe it can be the weight. Many reasons.”

The disappointment on the face of Salas was immediately wiped away as he re-focused his attention on WBA champion, Yordenis Ugas. With the pair set to square off on April 16th, at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas, Salas works diligently with Ugas as they’ll attempt to strip Spence Jr. of his championship status.

Ugas, of course, rose to prominence following his unlikely win against Manny Pacquiao in August of 2021. Ironically enough, Ugas was given the call once Spence Jr. was forced to withdraw due to a detached retina that subsequently led to surgery.

While Salas believes that Ugas will be successful in his bid to become a unified champion, when asked if he believes Spence Jr. will be his old self come fight night, Salas responds despondently.

“We hope so, we hope so.”

Posted on 04/03/2022

By: Hans Themistode

Errol Spence Jr. has made the long, lonely trek to the ring a total of 27 times as a professional. Once he walks through the raucous crowd and prior to the Dallas native swapping fists with his opponents, he waits patiently as his credentials are introduced by the ring announcer.

Normally, even before said announcer acknowledges Spence Jr. as a unified world champion, his 2012 Olympic achievements will be named first. Although the newly turned 32-year-old failed to medal during the summer games, making an Olympic roster is a rare feat.

Be that as it may, Ismael Salas, head trainer of Yordenis Ugas, isn’t impressed with Spence Jr.’s amateur accomplishments. As Salas continues to prepare Ugas for his upcoming unification clash against Spence Jr. on April 16th at AT&T Stadium, he believes the accentuation of the unified champion’s amateur background should come to an end, especially when juxtaposed with the accomplishments of Ugas.

“Did Spence go to the Olympics? Yes,” said Salas to a group of reporters. “What he did? Nothing. Ugas went to the Olympics? Yes. What did Ugas do? Bronze medal. Ugas was Pan American Game Champion, Amateur world champion. Was Spence? No.”

In totality, Salas is only partially correct. While he’s accurate in saying that Ugas was a Pan American champion and won an Olympic bronze medal, doing so in the 2008 games, the amateur credentials of Spence Jr. are being slightly downplayed. Altogether, Spence Jr. was a three-time U.S. National Champion. He was also a Golden Glove winner in 2009.

In addition to his amateur success, Spence Jr. also received a late start in the sport of boxing. Officially, the current pound-for-pound star picked up his first pair of gloves at the age of 15. Ugas, on the other hand, began his boxing journey at the age of six.

Still, despite the age discrepancy, both Ugas and Spence Jr. have nearly identical amateur records. Ugas wrapped up his time in the unpaid ranks with a record of 122-12, while Spence Jr.’s time as an amateur came to an end after amassing a record of 135-12.

Ultimately, Salas isn’t depending on what Ugas accomplished in his younger days to pick up the victory come April 16th. Having fought and defeated some of the best fighters that the welterweight division has to offer, including the likes of Danny Garcia, Shawn Porter, and Kell Brook – Salas admits that the amateur career of Ugas will be of little importance come fight night.

“This guy is solid,” said Salas of Spence Jr. “There’s nothing to take away from him. Professional and amateur is not the same.”

Posted on 04/01/2022

By: Hans Themistode

As one of the more well-respected boxing trainers in the world, Derrick James has relished in his role of molding and creating world champions.

With both Errol Spence Jr. and Jermell Charlo currently on the cusp of becoming undisputed titlists at 147 and 154 pounds respectively, James beams with pride whenever the pair are brought up in conversations.

However, while James believes both fighters are worthy of pound-for-pound recognition, he could be forced to pick a side.

Recently, Spence Jr. was asked whether or not he would be willing to move up in weight and face his fellow stablemate and close friend. Although initially, the Dallas native appeared hesitant, he revealed that if the right financial package came across his desk, he would likely put their friendship aside and swap fists with Charlo in the ring.

“I think so,” said Spence Jr. on the DAZN Boxing Show when asked if he would face Charlo. “If it makes sense money-wise.”

Ultimately, James is crossing his fingers in the hopes that the pair never officially square off. In terms of who he believes would win, James was unable to give his opinion. In fact, the prestigious trainer refuses to even allow the thought of a Charlo vs. Spence Jr. showdown cross his mind.

“I’m not thinking about it,” said James during an interview with Fight Hub TV. “It’s not a thought of mine. I don’t want to think about it. Two of my guys fighting each other.”

In the end, James will cross that unwanted bridge when the time is appropriate. In the meanwhile, he continues to help both fighters with their upcoming bouts.

In the case of Charlo, the Houston native is in possession of three of the four major world titles at 154 pounds. Come May 14th, in Los Angeles, California, Charlo will attempt to become the division’s first undisputed champion since Winky Wright in 2001 when he takes on WBO titlist, Brian Castano.

Spence Jr., on the other hand, is hoping to join the three belt club in just a few more weeks. The powerful southpaw will officially take on WBA 147 pound champion, Yordenis Ugas. Should he become successful in their April 16th unification bout, Terence Crawford and his WBO trinket, will be the lone other titlist at 147 pounds.

Posted on 03/30/2022

By: Hans Themistode

It isn’t uncommon to see even the biggest and most well-known fighters in the sport of boxing take on a few soft touches in the ring. That notion can become even more prevalent once a fighter spends a prolonged amount of time on the sidelines nursing injuries or inactivity.

However, while it’s a common practice, it isn’t something Errol Spence Jr. ever envisions himself doing.

“I just don’t believe in the tune-up thing,” said Spence Jr. to a group of reporters.

Since 2017, Spence Jr. has spent the majority of his career taking on either former, or at the time, current world champions. During that five-year stretch, only once has Spence Jr. fought an opponent who’s failed to wrap a world title around his waist. That would come in 2018 against mandatory challenger, Carlos Ocampo Manriquez.

Although the current 147-pound unified champion isn’t a fan of facing lower ranked fighters, there were several moments in his career where a “tune-up” would have been warranted.

In October of 2019, just one month after securing his second world title against Shawn Porter, Spence Jr. enjoyed himself a bit too much during a night out on the town. The Dallas product was thrown violently from his sports vehicle during a one-car wreck, resulting in the now 32-year-old spending well over one full year rehabbing.

For his return bout, Spence Jr. refused to entertain facing lesser opposition. Instead, he opted to take on former two-division world titlist, Danny Garcia. Although highly credentialed, Garcia was outgunned and overmatched, losing a lopsided unanimous decision.

With the powerful southpaw suffering a retinal detachment/break in his right eye late last year, forcing him to withdraw from his initial contest against Manny Pacquiao, the unified titlist is set to end yet another year-plus layoff by facing another difficult opponent.

In just a few short weeks, Spence Jr. will attempt to truncate the world title reign of WBA champion, Yordenis Ugas. In 12 of his past 13 fights, Ugas has managed to pick up convincing victories and is working diligently to continue his winning ways.

More than anything, Spence Jr. believes that facing the bottom of the welterweight barrel for his return would be a waste of time. No matter how long the pound-for-pound star spends on the sidelines, he believes that facing tenuous opposition won’t give him the motivation he needs to push himself to his breaking point in training camp.

“To fight somebody like Ugas caliber, it’s going to push me to the next level. It’s going to keep me training hard. If I was fighting just a Joe Blow or somebody I knew I was going to knock out, I would probably be a little bit heavier. I probably would be sneaking chips and snacks cause I know it’s not going to be a long fight. So to fight someone of Ugas caliber, I know that I got to be world prepared 100%. I got to push my body past its limits to beat a guy like Ugas. He’s a world champion and a world talent too.”

Posted on 03/26/2022

By: Hans Themistode

Errol Spence Jr. has grown annoyed with the national buzz and spotlight shining brightly on Tim Tszyu.

The 154-pound contender is treated very much like a star in his native land of Australia, due to a combination of his Hall of Fame father, Kostya Tszyu, and the skills he’s shown in the ring thus far.

Still, even with Tszyu working his way to number one contender status in the WBO sanctioning body, Spence Jr. refuses to believe the hype.

In just a few short hours, Tszyu will attempt to prove his high ranking and the considerable buzz surrounding his name as he takes on fellow contender, Terrell Gausha, in his U.S. debut at the Armory, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Although Tszyu has failed to face another true contender as of yet, oddsmakers are standing firmly in his corner, pegging him as a sizable favorite on the night. Despite the betting world and all of Australia expecting Tszyu to pick up the win, Spence Jr. is standing beside his former Olympic teammate.

“Let’s go bro!” Said Spence Jr. on his social media account. “They hyping dude up little too much.”

In 2012, both Gausha and Spence Jr. proudly represented the red, white, and blue colors of the American flag at the Olympic Games. In the unpaid ranks, Gausha aggregated numerous championships on the amateur scene. However, as a professional, Gausha’s career has been a bag of mixed results.

Initially, Gausha steamrolled the competition, racing out to a perfect record through 20 fights. Since then, nonetheless, the 34-year-old has struggled. From 2017 to 2020, Gausha went 1-2-1. While it hasn’t been the results he’s wanted, Gausha has re-entered the winner’s circle, violently stopping Jamontay Clark in the second round of their March 2021 contest.

Posted on 03/25/2022

By: Hans Themistode

The boxing world continues to cross its fingers and hold its collective breath.

For years on end, even the most observant of fans have struggled with naming the best 147 pounder in the world. Terence Crawford, the division’s WBO titlist, and Errol Spence Jr., currently in possession of the IBF and WBC trinkets, both men have separated themselves from the pack.

Although initially, it appeared as though a collision course between the pair seemed inevitable, fans have grown more and more apoplectic as time continues to pass by. Still, even with several fans holding out hope, Spence Jr. is only a few weeks away from fighting for his third world title.

On April 16th, in front of his hometown fans in AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Spence Jr. will take on WBA champion, Yordenis Ugas. If the Dallas product does what many are expecting, he’ll simply need Crawford’s lone title to reach undisputed status. That said, Spence Jr. doesn’t seem too gung ho about it.

“If we can get that fight made, then it’ll get made,” said Spence Jr. during an interview with FightHype.com. “If not, it is what it is.”

Crawford, fresh off his 34th birthday, accentuated his need to fight Spence Jr. following his knockout victory over Shawn Porter in November of 2021. Although the pound-for-pound star struggled with the rough and rugged style of his man, he eventually found his rhythm before showing discernment in the championship rounds.

In an effort to publicly shame Spence Jr. into facing him, Crawford, shortly after his win, went on his social media account and claimed that he was searching for his fellow champion and rival.

In the mind of Spence Jr., however, he’s simply brushed off Crawford’s comments. Long before the powerful southpaw burst onto the national pugilistic scene, Spence Jr. claimed that his number one goal was to become an undisputed world champion at 147 pounds. But while that goal hasn’t exactly changed, he notices that in the grand scheme of things, it’s inconsequential.

“I’m not going to dwell over it but it is something that I want, to be undisputed. I don’t think it’s something I need to be an all-time great. I don’t think [Felix] Trinidad, [Oscar] De La Hoya, Floyd [Mayweather] – a lot of the greats weren’t undisputed. I don’t think it’s something that I need like that but it’s something that I want. If it can’t happen, then it is what it is.”

Posted on 03/24/2022

By: Hans Themistode

Errol Spence Jr. has never been shy about throwing down in the ring.

The current unified welterweight titlist is just a few weeks away from taking on fellow belt holder, WBA champion, Yordenis Ugas. Should the Dallas native walk away victorious on April 16th at AT&T Stadium, in Arlington, Texas, he’ll look to strip Terence Crawford of his WBO title.

Although the newly turned 32-year-old is focused on aggregating every world title at 147 pounds, he believes his time as a full-fledged welterweight is coming to an end. Whenever Spence Jr. officially decides to make the trek seven pounds north, he could be faced with an interesting dilemma.

Currently, Jermell Charlo, his close friend and stablemate, holds three of the four world titles at 154 pounds. In addition to Charlo’s extensive hardware collection, he’s just a few months away from taking on Brian Castano for the final piece of the junior middleweight undisputed puzzle.

Initially, having sparred with each other on numerous occasions and growing a close bond, Spence Jr. has refused to entertain the idea of facing Charlo. That said, everything comes with a price tag.

“I think so,” said Spence Jr. on the DAZN Boxing Show when asked if he would be willing to fight Charlo. “If it makes sense money-wise.”

Other than just the close friendship they share, both Charlo and Spence Jr. are guided by world-renowned trainer Derrick James, making their contest even more unrealistic.

Still, regardless of whether or not they eventually face-off, Spence Jr. has stated time and time again that his time as a 147 pounder will be coming to an end shortly. In a perfect world, Spence Jr. will successfully strip Ugas of his WBA title. Then, finally, the long-awaited showdown between Spence Jr. and Crawford would take place.

Win or lose, Spence Jr. will officially wash his hands of the welterweight division and attempt to make a name for himself one weight class higher.

Ultimately, the powerful southpaw doesn’t simply view Charlo as just a friend but more so a brother. Nonetheless, if they are indeed brothers, Spence Jr. believes that a showdown between them could become financially beneficial.

“We brothers,” Spence said. “Brothers supposed to break bread, right?”

Posted on 03/22/2022

By: Hans Themistode

Yordenis Ugas has successfully picked himself up from his bootstraps to become one of the more recognizable figures in the sport of boxing.

Since back-to-back defeats at the hands of Amir Imam and Emanuel Robles in 2014, the 35-year-old Cuban slugger has come out victorious in 12 of his last 13 contests. Undoubtedly, the climax of Ugas’s career took place just a few months ago.

On relatively short notice, Ugas stepped in to replace injured unified champion, Errol Spence Jr., to take on Manny Pacquiao. Initially, oddsmakers disregarded Ugas’s height, reach, and weight advantages, as well as his overall skillset, and pegged Ugas as a decided underdog.

Of course, Ugas would go on to defeat Pacquiao via unanimous decision. Now, as Ugas prepares to face the previously mentioned Spence Jr., on April 16th, at AT&T Stadium, the soft-spoken pugilist finds himself as an underdog once again.

Spence Jr., 32, has pushed every fighter placed in front of him out of his way through 27 spotless fights. Even with the unified titlist coming off a retinal detachment in his right eye just a few months ago, oddsmakers believe his unfortunate injury won’t have any bearing on his upcoming showdown against Ugas.

In addition to the betting world adding fuel to his fire, recently, Bernard Hopkins stated that Spence Jr. will go on to “smash” Ugas. With little to no support standing in his corner, Ugas has placed his blinders on and plowed ahead.

As he’s proven time and time again, Ugas knows exactly what the bright lights associated with a big fight feel like. With the biggest night of his professional life taking place in just under four weeks, Ugas is confidently waiting for his moment to arrive.

“I’m a fighter that thrives under pressure. People can underestimate me all they want. In the end, I know what I’m capable of when the lights come on and the pipes burst. I focus on myself and I know what I’m capable of on April 16th.”

Posted on 03/20/2022

By: Hans Themistode

The boxing world appears to be split right down the middle as the welterweight unification between Errol Spence Jr. and Yordenis Ugas draws near. The two are officially scheduled to face off in just under a month on April 16th, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. 

With Ugas nabbing the most significant win of his career in his most recent ring appearance against Manny Pacquiao, the WBA titlist confidently believes he’ll be adding Spence Jr.’s WBC and IBF world titles to his collection. However, despite his unwavering self-belief, Bernard Hopkins isn’t giving him much of a chance. 

“Errol Spence smashes him,” said Hopkins to Fight Hub TV.

Spence Jr., a former U.S. Olympian, is attempting to move one step closer to his ultimate goal of becoming an undisputed world champion. Initially, during the first few years of his career, Spence Jr. dazzled fans with his nonstop pressure and ability to end fights in the blink of an eye. However, as of late, Spence Jr. has been forced to deal with forces outside of his control. 

Following his split decision win over Shawn Porter in 2019, Spence Jr. miraculously survived a horrific one-car wreck. Although Spence Jr. would dust himself off and return to the ring one year later to score a one-sided win over Danny Garcia, the unified welterweight titlist has remained sequestered on the sidelines. 

Originally, the Dallas native was set to make his ring walk in August of 2021, against Manny Pacquiao. That said, he was forced to withdraw from their contest due to a retinal detachment in his right eye. 

As a result, of course, Ugas stepped in on relatively short notice and claimed the spotlight for himself, winning a fairly close unanimous decision. With Spence Jr. appearing in the ring fewer than both he and his adoring fans would like, Hopkins believes that from here on out, Spence Jr. will produce jaw-dropping performances.

“Listen, I look at the pedigree of the talent. I believe from the last few fights, beyond the pullout, I believe he knows that he has to make statements every time he fights. Good for us, bad for his opponent. He knows that he must look damn there perfect or perfect every fight. There is no room for error. From what I see, he handles that very, very well.” 

Posted on 03/17/2022

By: Hans Themistode

Errol Spence Jr. is patiently watching the sand in the hourglass as he anxiously awaits his upcoming showdown against Yordenis Ugas on April 16th. The IBF and WBC unified welterweight titlist has sat unwillingly on the sidelines since scoring a fairly wide unanimous decision victory over Danny Garcia in December of 2020.

Although Spence Jr. is pegged as a sizable favorite to strip Ugas of his WBA title, both pundits and fans believe that Ugas has more than a puncher’s chance to spring the upset. In addition to Ugas picking up victories in 12 of his past 13 contests, his shining moment came just a few months ago.

On relatively short notice, Ugas stepped in to replace, ironically enough, Spence Jr., to take on future first ballot Hall of Famer, Manny Pacquiao. Spence Jr. could only sit back despondently as Ugas proved oddsmakers wrong by registering a unanimous decision victory.

Thanks to his efforts against Pacquiao, Ugas finds himself thought of highly in the mind of many in the boxing world. However, regardless of his career-changing victory, Spence Jr. shrugs his shoulders at those who believe a victory over Pacquiao will equate to a win over himself.

In fact, as Spence Jr. rummages through the annals of boxing history, he can point to a long list of former great fighters who came up short at the tail end of their careers.

“With all respect to Pacquiao, I’m a way different fighter than Pacquiao,” said Spence Jr. during a recent press conference. “At this point right now, I’m a better fighter than Pacquiao. Y’all keep bringing up Pacquiao but that’s like Larry Holmes fighting [Muhammad] Ali or Terry Norris beating up Sugar Ray Leonard or [Marcos] Maidana beating up Erik Morales. Pacquiao is way past his prime.”

As Spence Jr. eludes to, Ali, Leonard, and Morales, all ended their careers following devastating defeats. In 1991, Leonard suffered a one-sided unanimous decision defeat at the hands of Norris before retiring. Ultimately, he would return to the ring six years later at the age of 40 against Hector Camacho, losing via fifth-round stoppage.

Ali, at the age of 38, hung up his gloves following back-to-back one-sided beatings against the previously mentioned Holmes and Trevor Berbick in 1981. And as for Morales, on the back end of his career, he would go on to lose three of his final four contests, one of which came against Maidana.

More than anything, Spence Jr. refuses to get too involved in the recent performance of Ugas against a 42-year-old Pacquiao. The unified titlist, has, however, acknowledged that the split decision defeat Ugas suffered against Shawn Porter in 2019, was completely bogus.

But, regardless of Spence Jr. believing that Ugas’s victory over Pacquiao is a bit overblown, he does view Ugas as an incredible fighter and one who will give it his all come fight night.

“He’s a great fighter, he’s going to come to fight and he’s a real warrior but I’m a put on a great showing and I’m hungry too.”

Posted on 03/17/2022

By: Hans Themistode

Mike Tyson is a staunch and sincere believer in the best fighting the best.

During both the heart of his prime and when he was clearly on the back nine, Tyson took on all comers including Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, and Michael Spinks. Although the former undisputed heavyweight titlist didn’t always come out on the winning end, it was his attempt at greatness that he believes is missing in today’s game.

“These guys have to want to be immortal,” said Tyson to Shannon Sharpe on the Club Shay Shay podcast.

In totality, Tyson has a long list of fights that he hopes one day become a reality. Near the top of his list, is a showdown between two good friends currently competing in different weight classes.

“I wanna see Errol Spence go up to 154 and fight [Jermell] Charlo.”

Although Tyson craves a showdown between the pair, the two have consistently shot down that hypothetical matchup. At the moment, 32-year-old Spence Jr. is focusing all of his efforts on aggregating every world title at 147 pounds. With both the WBC and IBF welterweight belts already in his possession, Spence Jr. is currently in the midst of a grueling training camp as he prepares to take on WBA champion, Yordenis Ugas.

Should Spence Jr. come out victorious, the Dallas native has admitted that a showdown against Terence Crawford, the division’s WBO champion, would rank highly on his priority list. Still, even with Spence Jr. having business to attend to at 147 pounds, he has hinted at a move up in weight as soon as next year.

If Spence Jr. does in fact, attempt to make the junior middleweight division his new stomping ground, a showdown against Charlo would be an intriguing, albeit unlikely one. Presently, both fighters train under the guidance of world-renowned trainer, Derrick James. Over the years, both Charlo and Spence Jr. have spent hours in the ring against one another in sparring.

Regardless of what Spence Jr. ultimately decides, Charlo isn’t concerned about a possible showdown against his good friend down the road. The WBA, WBC, IBF, and Ring Magazine champion is locked into a May 14th, rematch against current WBO 154 pound titlist, Brian Castano.

The two originally fought to a highly controversial draw on July 17th, 2021. If Charlo is successful in his bid to become an undisputed champion, he could either vacate his world titles and move up in weight, or, take on everyone who challenges him for his undisputed crown.

Posted on 03/14/2022

By: Hans Themistode

When discussing the best fighters at 147 pounds, both Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford’s names usually protrude to the top of the welterweight list.

With Spence Jr. in possession of both the WBC and IBF world titles and Crawford holding firm to his WBO crown, many have pegged them as pound-for-pound stars. Yet, despite those beliefs, Jaron Ennis continues to back himself as the division’s best fighter.

The 24-year-old from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has slowly but assuredly worked his way up the welterweight rankings. In 2021, Ennis had his most productive year yet. During the first half of his fight calendar, Ennis violently stopped former 140-pound titlist Sergey Lipinets in the sixth round. Before the year came to a close, Ennis made quick work of well-respected journeymen, Thomas Dulorme, needing only a minute and a half to dispose of him.

Considering his ability to dissect his opponents from the outside, as well as his stellar inside work and concussive knockout power, Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach has taken notice. Not only is Roach firmly of the belief that Ennis is ready to showcase his talents on the grandest of stages but when asked to choose the best 147 pounder in the world, Roach didn’t hesitate to give his answer.

“He’s a very good fighter,” said Roach when describing Ennis during an interview with FightHype.com. “I think he’s the best guy in the weight division.”

In the coming months, Roach’s words could prove to be prophetic. With Ennis set to take on Custio Clayton sometime this Spring in an IBF final eliminator, the dynamic young star could find himself standing across the ring from Spence Jr. sooner rather than later.

First things first, however, even if Ennis walks through Clayton, Spence Jr. has his eyes set on adding even more gold to his championship mantle. On April 16th, at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Spence Jr. will take on WBA belt holder, Yordenis Ugas. Should Spence Jr. snag his third-world title, he’ll turn his attention toward Crawford in an effort to become an undisputed champion.

While Ennis may ultimately be forced to play the waiting game, no matter who he faces in the ring, Roach is convinced that he’ll always have the upper hand.