Errol Spence Jr. Will Be The Top Welterweight In The World

By dalexander - 05/30/2017 - Comments

Image: Errol Spence Jr. Will Be The Top Welterweight In The World

By David Alexander: Errol Spence Jr. (22-0, 19 KOs) proved to be the real deal last Saturday night in Bramall Lane, UK by beating Kell Brook (36-2, 25 KOs) in 11 rounds by stoppage in front of 27,000 hostile fans. Spence became the IBF welterweight champion by beating ‘Special K’ in his hometown of Sheffield, England.

The fight lived up to hype, but Spence began to take over the later rounds, by dropping Brook in the tenth round and nearly putting him away. Brook rallied and survived, but took a ‘voluntary knee’ in the eleventh for the full count. Afterwards, Brook told reporters that he received medical confirmation of a fractured left orbital bone. Brook fractured his right orbital bone last September when he was stopped in five rounds by middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (37-0, 33 KOs).

Errol Spence believes the victory has now catapulted him to the very top of the welterweight division and rightfully so. With “The Truth” winning the IBF welterweight title, he sets his sight on the WBA and WBC welterweight titles that Keith Thurman has currently by defeating Danny Garcia. He is also the WBA (Super) welterweight title holder by having two or more of these titles in the same weight class. I see that coming to a end when Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman fights Errol Spence Jr. later this year or more probable next year.  Thurman (28-0, 22 KOs) unified two belts with a split-decision win against Danny Garcia on March 4, but he will be out of action likely until early next year after having right elbow surgery last month.

Manny Pacquiao (59-6-2, 38 KOs), the legendary icon from the Philippines, is still going strong at age 38 having rebounded from his decision loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in their 2015 mega fight. Pacquiao rebounded to easily outpoint Timothy Bradley Jr. in their third fight 13 months ago, and then easily outpointed Jessie Vargas to claim yet another world title in November. However, Pacquiao is scheduled to defend against Australia’s Jeff Horn in Brisbane, Australia, on July 2. I feel that Pacquiao will not fight Spence because of the business/promotion problems between Bob Arum (Top Rank) and Al Haymon but also it would be too much of a risk for the 38 year old because I can see Spence defeating Pacquiao if they ever fight. It is more likely that Pacman will fight another top elite young American boxer and Top Rank fighter Terence Crawford (31-0, 22 KOs), who might move up in weight and challenge Pacquiao for the WBO welterweight title.

Obviously, neither Thurman nor Pacquiao will be next for Spence, but at least Thurman is quite possible. They’re both with adviser Al Haymon and have ties to Showtime. That’s the fight Spence really seems to want. The more probable fight for Spence this year is Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia or even Lamont Peterson, who currently has the WBA (Regular) welterweight title and all three fight under Al Haymon/Showtime. I can see Spence beating Porter, Garcia and Peterson if they ever fight this year.

“I’ve been calling Keith Thurman out for a long time. You say I have to prove myself and I haven’t fought anybody, well I just beat the so-called biggest welterweight in the division, Kell Brook,” Spence said. “So now, Keith Thurman, come out. It’s time to fight.”

Ringside for the fight were two other name welterweights — both also with Haymon — in Shawn Porter, a former titlist who lost his belt to Brook back in 2014, and England’s Amir Khan. Maybe one of them will be next, although the bigger fight for Khan would be against his British rival and nemesis Brook in what would still be a huge fight despite the fact that both would be coming off losses and are declining.

Whoever gets the opportunity to challenge Spence in his first defense, they won’t be getting any favors. Spence is entering his prime, and he is a very tough boxer. Brook, who was making his fourth title defense, can certainly speak to that. “Spence is one of the best kids I’ve been in with, if not the best,” Brook said. And it seems like he’s only getting better.

I see Errol Spence Jr. beating Keith Thurman next year to become the WBC, WBA and IBF welterweight titles to become the top welterweight in the world. Spence’s body work will be too much for Thurman and like Brook, will break him down in the latter rounds for a possible stoppage or UD decision. Thurman is prone to get hit and has been stunned by the likes of Luis Collazo, Jesus Soto Karass and Robert Guerrero.

What can be said about Spence other then that yes, ‘The Truth’ is the real deal and big things await for the young American and the USA in general in the welterweight division.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrCo0BQmTGc&t=51s