By Matt Lieberman: Trainer Derrick James says he sees no physical problems with IBF/WBC welterweight champion Errol’ The Truth’ Spence since he began training for his title defense against Danny Garcia on November 21.
James states that he’s been working out with Spence (26-0, 21 KOs) since he started training last March, and he’s seen no indication of deficiencies with his speed, power, or defense in workouts.
As far as James can tell, Spence, 30, is 100%, and fully recovered from his car crash on October 10 last year in Dallas, Texas. Spence crashed his Ferrari Spyder in a terrible accident that resulted in him being ejected from his expensive automobile.
After spending six days in an ICU in Dallas, Spence was released with just abrasions and problems with his front teeth. He’s since had his teeth repaired, and he’s seemingly fully recovered from his car crash.
In three months from now, Spence will be defending his IBF/WBC 147-lb titles against former two-division world champion Danny’ Swift’ Garcia (36-2, 21 KOs) on November 21 on Fox Sports pay-per-view.
If there are any problems with Spence [physically or mentally, Danny Garcia will be the one that will bring them out at some point on November 21 when they get inside the ring.
Spence showing no signs of lingering problems
“He looks good. I don’t see anything lingering,” said Spence’s trainer Derrick James to The Pug and Cop on Errol’s current physical condition.
“My job is to see if there are any deficiencies and to see if he’s not reacting fast enough. He looks good.
“His hand speed is there, and his body is right. I want what he wants, but if there were any deficiencies and if his reaction time wasn’t right, those are things we’ve been gauging for months.
“We’ve been in the gym since last March, and everything looks OK and good. He’s doing everything right, and everything is great,” said James on Spence’s condition.
We won’t know if Spence is fully back until he starts taking shots from Danny, who is one of the strongest punchers in the 147-pound division today. The problem is, Garcia hits so hard that he would have given Spence problems even before his car crash.
If Garcia knocks out Spence, there’s no accurate way of knowing if it was the result of Errol’s car crash or not. Garcia has the type of power that would have given Spence issues at any stage in his career.
James isn’t saying who Spence has been sparring with right now. If he’s been in with some big punchers with power close to that of Danny’s, then you can feel a little more secure that he’ll be fine when he gets inside the ring with Garcia on November 21. Until then, we won’t know for sure.
Danny Garcia gives everyone problems
“He was really known, but I think this did help,” said James about Spence’s fame having been increased due to the attention he’s received from his car crash.
“I have a lot of respect for him because when he faces the top guys, he’s never the favorite,” said James about Danny Garcia. “He always shows up, and he’s fighting elite guys.
“Even with Keith Thurman, it was very close, and with Shawn Porter, it was very close. He knows what type of fighter he is and what he brings to the table. With Errol, it’ll be a different type of fight, but at the same time, it’ll be very dangerous.
“He’s coming to win the fight,” said James of Danny Garcia. “All the other guys thought they could beat him. Lucas Matthysse, Amir Khan and Shawn Porter, but a lot of people think he can’t beat Errol Spence.
“The fact that people count him out makes him stand up and be a little tougher as an opponent. Danny’s a great puncher, but fights are about strategy. Just like in the Shawn Porter fight, he [Spence] wanted to beat Shawn Porter at what he does best,” James said.
Danny was seen as the underdog against Shawn Porter, Amir Khan, Keith Thurman, and Lucas Matthysse, and he came out on top in two of those fights. He almost beat Porter and Thurman, and he didn’t have the work rate or the speed to get the job one.
For Garcia to have a shot at beating Spence, he’s going to need to cut off the ring and throw a lot of punches. Where Danny’s offense has failed him in the past is in his fights where he doesn’t let his hands go enough, and he falls behind early on.
Spence vs. Garcia will generate PPV buys
“Look at Mikey Garcia. They said that he’s better at this and better that,” Derrick continued. “So he beat Mikey Garcia at what he does best, so maybe you’ll see him beating Danny Garcia at what he does best, and beating him at his own thing.
“So it’s a very serious fight. You guys won’t know until he [Spence] gets hit, but it’s about having a great fight strategy and game plan to eliminate all of that.
“I think this is a fight that will generate a lot of fans, but unfortunately, COVID will step in the way and not allow that. But I think it’s going to bring in a lot of pay-per-view buys,” said Derrick.
With the interest boxing fans have about the Spence vs. Garcia fight, there’s an excellent chance the fight will bring in a lot of pay-per-view buys on Fox Sports PPV. Spence is coming off of a thrilling victory over Shawn Porter last August, whereas Danny recently defeated the always tough Ivan Redkach last January.
Since boxing fans won’t be able to see the Spence vs. Garcia fight live and in person due to the pandemic, they’ll need to order it to see it on pay-per-view.
You can argue that the organizers for this event are making a critical error in attempting to sell the Spence-Garcia fight during the pandemic with so many boxing fans out work. Still, you can’t blame them for wanting to make money.
The pay-per-view numbers may not be as good as the organizers are hoping, and that’s something that they need to be aware of right now. There’s a time and place for everything, and selling fights on PPV is something that promoters need to think about before making this move right now.
Jermell Charlo faces Jeison Rosario on September 26
“I think it’s big because every fighter wants to be the main event fighter,” said James on WBC junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo headlining on September 26 against IBF/WBA champ Jeison Rosario on Showtime pay-per-view.
“After the Tony Harrison loss, the next two fights were main event fights. He established himself as the main event fighter, a person who can draw in a crowd. Now he’s punched himself up to pay-per-view level, and that’s a big deal.
It’s excellent for his fan base and great to build him because there’s not a lot of boxers today that can sell pay-per-view in America, not in the UK.
“The two heavyweights [Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury] can do it over there, but not too many people in America can do it. So I think it would be really great and pull it off,” James said on how difficult it is to become a PPV attraction.
WBC junior middleweight champion Jermall Charlo 33-1, 17 KOs) takes on IBF/WBA champ Jeison Rosario on September 26 on Showtime PPV at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Charlo and Rosario will be headlining the doubleheader card in the evening. Charlo’s twin brother, ‘Big Charlo,’ Jermall Charlo (30-0, 22 KOs) will be defending his WBC middleweight title against Sergiy Derevyanchenko in the other main event, which will be taking place in the early afternoon.
Rosario might have a little too much for Charlo right now, as he’s coming off an impressive 5th round knockout win over Julian’ J-Rock’ Williams on January 18 in Philadelphia.
Charlo taking on a significant threat
“Jeison Rosario is a really skilled guy. He’s not just a big puncher,” said James. “He’s got a phenomenal jab, and I think his jab is what got to Julian Williams to break through his defense.
“I think he’s a phenomenal fighter. We just got to come prepared to take away the things he does good. He’s a good puncher, so you’ve got to take that away. You’ve got to take away the things he does well in order to beat him.
“I think he’s a great challenge, and Jermell is already in shape already. We got five to seven weeks left, and he already weighs 159. He’s taking this fight very seriously. Since the beginning, he’s been talking of wanting to be the undisputed champ.
“When you think about it, everything great starts with a conversation, and this is a conversation. With this thing coming to fruition and him possibly becoming the unified champ, it’s beautiful.
“I think the key to this fight is to come in 100% focused and continue to be hungry. I think that’s the key to this fight. He has to be hungry, and he has to train hard and work hard. Conditioning is the key,” said James.
“We’ll have to come in and show who we are. That’s what champions do,” said James. “You have to show you are the guy, and Rosario is a tough guy to fight.
The 25-year-old Rosario (20-1-1, 14 KOs) is younger and more potent than the 30-year-old Charlo, and he hasn’t tasted big money yet.
In Charlo’s videos that he’s been posting on social media, he’s showing off his wealth and is now living like a tycoon. That could be Charlo’s downfall, as you need to stay hungry in the sport of boxing if you want to remain at the top.
Time and time again, when fighters make it big, their careers plummet soon after due to them no longer putting in the grueling, back-breaking work that they did before they became rich and famous.