Boxing Legends and Top Pundits Weigh In on The Errol Spence, Jr and Mikey Garcia Welterweight Championship Showdown That Headlines a PBC on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View Event on Saturday, March 16 From AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
When you have boxers like Errol Spence, Jr. and Mikey Garcia, two undefeated world champions, both ranked in the top five among the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world and vying for supremacy in the hottest division in boxing, a debate about who wins is bound to break out.
Spence (24-0, 21 KOs) is a power-punching welterweight who has stopped his last 11 opponents heading into this intriguing matchup against the brilliant tactician that Garcia has established himself as. Spence is no stranger to big stadium events as he won the IBF title by traveling to England to take on then-champion Kell Brook at Bramhall Lane soccer stadium on May 27, 2017. In front of a raucous crowd of over 27,000 loyal Brook supporters, the 28-year-old Spence stopped Brook in round 11 to wrest away the title.
Garcia (39-0, 30 KOs) is striving to put together a legendary career and is aggressively pursuing that goal. He has won world championships at featherweight, junior lightweight, lightweight and junior welterweight. He now eyes a welterweight title against the consensus class of the division in Spence. Fighting out of Moreno Valley, California, the 31-year-old Garcia unified the IBF and WBC Lightweight World Championships in his last bout by scoring unanimous decision victory over Robert Easter, Jr. on July 28.
With fight week here, luminaries such as Roberto Duran are heading to Dallas to be a part of the action. As the clock begins to tick down to fight night, the debate is heating up as legends like Sugar Ray Leonard and George Foreman, plus prominent boxing fans such as Chad Johnson and Rosie Perez are weighing in. Here are just a few opinions in video, tweet and quote form:
TOMMY HEARNS
“It’s going to be a really good fight. Spence has good boxing skills and will present a big problem for Mikey.
But Mikey is also very good and if he uses what he has to his advantage, I predict he’ll take Spence the distance. I’m going with Spence by decision.”
George Foreman:
“Mikey Garcia is seeking Greatness; he has fought in the area; and his skills are fine. Everyone saying Spence Win, But no one is say how; just his size and strength. That don’t cut it in Boxing ( I beat Frazier, Ali beat me, How?).”
Manny Pacquiao:
“Not everyone can move up two weight classes and win a world title. It will be interesting to see if @MikeyGarcia can pull it off against @ErrolSpenceJr next week. I’ll be watching! @PBC @FOXSports #SpenceGarcia.”
WBC STATISTICS
WBC Welterweight Diamond Championship
March 16, 2019 / Arlington, Texas / AT&T Stadium
This will be the 2,042nd fight sanctioned by the WBC in its 56-year history.
TGB PROMOTIONS PRESENTS:
ERROL “The Truth” SPENCE JR. (United States)
IBF Welterweight World Champion
Age: 29 / Date of birth: March 3, 1990
Residence: Dallas, Texas / Birthplace: Brentwood, New York
Record: 24-0, 21 KOs / Total rounds: 96 / World championship fights: 3-0, 3 KOs
Height: 5’9″ – 175cm / Reach: 72″ – 183cm / Stance: Left-handed
Manager: Al Haymon / Trainer: Derrick James
MIGUEL ANGEL “Mikey” GARCIA (United States)
WBC Lightweight World Champion
Age: 31 / Date of birth: December 15, 1987
Residence: Moreno Valley, California / Birthplace: Ventura, California
Record: 39-0, 30 KOs / Total rounds: 214 / World championship fights: 7-0, 3 KOs
Height: 5’6″ – 168cm / Reach: 68″ – 173cm / Stance: Right-handed
Manager: Self-managed / Trainer: Robert Garcia
WBC WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS
1. Luis Manuel Rodriguez (Cuba) 1963
2. Emile Griffith (Virg. Island) 1963 – 1966
3. Curtis Cokes (US) 1966 – 1969
4. Jose Napoles (Mexico) 1969 – 1970
5. Billy Backus (US) 1970 – 1971
6. Jose Napoles (Mexico) * 1971 – 1975
7. John Stracey (GB) 1975 – 1976
8. Carlos Palomino (Mexico) 1976 – 1979
9. Wilfredo Benitez (P. Rico) 1979
10. Ray Leonard (US) 1979 – 1980
11. Roberto Duran (Panama) 1980
12. Ray Leonard (US) * 1980 – 1983
13. Milton McCrory (US) 1983 – 1985
14. Donald Curry (US) 1985 – 1986
15. Lloyd Honeyghan (Jamaica) 1986 – 1987
16. Jorge Vaca (Mexico) 1987 – 1988
17. Lloyd Honeyghan (Jamaica) * 1988 – 1989
18. Marlon Starling (US) 1989 – 1990
19. Maurice Blocker (US) 1990 – 1991
20. Simon Brown (Jamaica) 1991
21. James McGirt (US) 1991 – 1993
22. Pernell Whitaker (US) 1993 – 1997
23. Oscar de la Hoya (US) 1997 – 1999
24. Felix Trinidad (P. Rico) 1999
25. Oscar de la Hoya (US) * 2000
26. Shane Mosley (US) 2000 – 2002
27. Vernon Forrest (US) 2002 – 2003
28. Ricardo Mayorga (Nicaragua) 2003
29. Cory Spinks (US) 2003 – 2005
30. Zab Judah (US) 2005 – 2006
31. Carlos Baldomir (Argentina) 2006
32. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (US) 2006 – 2007
33. Shane Mosley (US) Interim * 2007
34. Andre Berto (US) 2008 – 2011
35. Victor Ortiz (US) 2011
36. Robert Guerrero (US) Interim 2012 – 2013
37. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (US) * 2011 – 2015
38. Danny Garcia (US) 2016 – 2017
39. Keith Thurman (US) 2017 – 2018
40. Shawn Porter (US) 2018 –
* Regained
WBC TOP 10 WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONS
1. Sugar Ray Leonard (US)
2. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (US)
3. Oscar de la Hoya (Mexico/US)
4. Jose Napoles (Mexico/Cuba)
5. Roberto Duran (Panama)
6. Emile Griffith (Virgin Is.)
7. Pernell Whitaker (US)
8. Shane Mosley (US)
9. Carlos Palomino (Mex)
10. John Stracey (GB)
GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION IN THE HISTORY OF THE WBC
34 world champions have been recognized by the WBC, of whom only six have regained the title: Jose Napoles (Cuba-Mex), Ray Leonard (US), Lloyd Honeyghan (Jamaica-GB), Oscar de la Hoya (US-Mex), Shane Mosley (US), Floyd Mayweather Jr. (US).
123 WBC welterweight world title bouts have been held in the history of the WBC.
97 WBC welterweight world title bouts have taken place in the United States.
MEMORABLE FIGHTS
Sep. 8, 2018 Shawn Porter W12 Danny Garcia – Brooklyn
Mar. 4, 2017 Keith Thurman W12 Danny Garcia – Brooklyn
Jan. 23, 2016 Danny Garcia W12 Robert Guerrero – Los Angeles
May 2, 2015 Floyd Mayweather Jr. W12 Manny Pacquiao – Las Vegas
May 3, 2014 Floyd Mayweather Jr. W12 Marcos Maidana – Las Vegas
Jan. 26, 2002 Vernon Forrest W12 Shane Mosley – New York
June 17, 2000 Shane Mosley W12 Oscar de la Hoya – Los Angeles
Feb. 13, 1999 Oscar de la Hoya W12 Ike Quartey – Las Vegas
Oct. 1, 1994 Pernell Whitaker W12 James McGirt – Norfolk
Sep. 10, 1993 Pernell Whitaker D12 Julio Cesar Chavez – San Antonio
Sep. 18, 1989 Felix Trinidad W12 Oscar de la Hoya – Las Vegas
Feb. 4, 1989 Marlon Starling TKO9 Lloyd Honeyghan – Las Vegas
Sep. 27, 1986 Lloyd Honeyghan TKO6 Donald Curry – Atlantic City
Dec. 6, 1985 Donald Curry KO2 Milton McCrory – Las Vegas
Sep. 16, 1981 Sugar Ray Leonard TKO14 Thomas Hearns – Las Vegas
June 20, 1980 Roberto Duran W15 Sugar Ray Leonard – Montréal
June 22, 1976 Carlos Palomino TKO12 John Stracey – London
Dec. 6, 1976 John Stracey TKO6 José Napoles – Mexico City
Apr. 18, 1969 José Napoles TKO13 Curtis Cokes – Inglewood
Nov. 28, 1966 Curtis Cokes W15 Jean Josselin – Dallas
Dec. 8, 1962 Emile Griffith TKO9 Jorge José Fernandez – Las Vegas
WBC Statistics by Luis Medina.