Errol Spence vs. Alejandro Barrera on PBC on NBC on 11/28

By Boxing News - 10/29/2015 - Comments

YouTube video

By Dan Ambrose: #12 WBA welterweight contender Errol Spence Jr. (18-0, 15 KOs) will be fighting late next month on November 28th against non-top 15 ranked junior middleweight Alejandro Barrera (28-2, 18 KOs) in a 12 round fight on the undercard of IBF 154lb champion Jermall Charlo’s first title defense against little known Wilky Campfort (21-1, 12 KOs) on Premier Boxing Champions on NBC from The Bomb Factory in Dallas, Texas.

Both fights appear to be mismatches unfortunately, but the 25-year-old Spence at least isn’t a champion, so it’s not as bad for him that he’s taking on a soft opponent.

Spence wants to fight for a world title right now, but he’s not ranked high enough for him to get a title shot against any of the champions. He was ranked at No.8 by the WBA, but they’ve moved him down twice after his wins over Phil Lo Greco and Chris van Heerden. It’s not that Spence didn’t look good in those fights. It’s more a case of the WBA wanting to push the following fighters above him: 44-year-old Shane Mosley, Teerachai Kratingdaeggym, Sadam Ali, Charlie Navarro, David Avanesyan and Dmitry Mikhaylenko.

Spence probably won’t get pushed up in any real way in the WBA’s rankings off of a win over the little known Barrera, but it’ll still be good for him to get the exposure on NBC in a showcase fight. Barrera is obviously not in the same league with Spence, and not in the same league as Spence’s last opponents Van Heerden and Lo Greco. But it will still be good for Spence to get the experience. Barrera is a light middleweight with respectable power.

The 29-year-old Barrera, who comes from Mexico, has defeats against Ramses Agaton and Amando Robles. Those were both decision losses. It’s possible that Barrera has a good chin and might be able to go the distance with Spence, but also unlikely. Barrera’s 30 fights in his 8 year pro career have come against weak opponents in Mexico. He’s not stepped it up until now, and it’s likely going to end badly for him. If Barrera can’t even beat fighters like Agaton and Robles, then you can bet that he’s not going to last long with Spence on November 28th.

Barrera’s last four wins have come against Jose De Jesus Macias x 2, Abner Lopez, and Gabriel Martinez. He was beaten by Ramses Agaton by a 10 split decision loss last year in May.

“I’m excited for another opportunity to prove that I’m the real deal and I’m ready for any gut that’s put in front of me,” said Spence Jr. “This will be my first time fighting in my hometown and I’m ready to put on a show for Dallas. November 28, it’s going to be another man down.”

It’s unknown how long Spence’s adviser Al Haymon is going to wait before he puts him in with a good contender. At 25, he appears to be ready to face the better opposition in the 147lb division.

This is Spence’s second junior middleweight opponent in his last three fights. Spence seems more suited to the welterweight division than at 154, because he doesn’t have the kind of physique that would allow him to put on 20 pounds like we see with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in the way that he makes weight at 154 and then balloons up to the 170s.

In the main event on the card, IBF junior middleweight champion Jermall Charlo (22-0, 17 KOs) has an easy title defense against “Silky” Wilky Campfort (21-1, 12 KOs). This is not a good fight at all. Charlo is much better than Campfort, and he should be fighting better opposition.

Charlo recently defeated former IBF junior middleweight champion Cornelius Bundrage by a 3rd round knockout last June to win the IBF World super welterweight title. Charlo knocked Bundrage down four times before the fight is over.

Both Charlo and Spence are facing really over-matched opposition on this card. Haymon should match them up against better opposition because they’re both capable of beating top fighters without worry.

With Miguel Cotto and Canelo now out of the 154lb division, Charlo is arguably the best fighter in the division. Erislandy Lara would be good competition, but he doesn’t throw enough punches to defeat a guy as good as Charlo.