Errol Spence Jr. could’ve chosen to fight anyone after his car accident and no one would’ve questioned him. The welterweight titleholder, who will defend his belt on Dec. 5 at AT&T Stadium outside Dallas, could’ve easily beaten a journeyman to prove to himself and the world that he has fully recovered.
Instead, he chose to face one of the most-respected fighters in his division, Danny Garcia. Why? To bring out the best in himself.
“If I took a tune-up fight, I wouldn’t be as focused or dedicated as I am right now,” Spence said during a virtual media workout. “I know Danny’s dad is pushing him to take my belts in my hometown. So I’ staying focused to make sure that doesn’t happen.
“This is as good as I’ve ever felt. You can see I’m sweating today and I’m not dried out. There’s no struggle to make weight. I’m just feeling good.”
That’s remarkable given the severity of the accident, which occurred in October in his hometown of Dallas. Spence’s speeding Ferrari hit a median in the road, flipped over and he was ejected.
Somehow he didn’t suffer a serious injury. And, with the blessing of doctors, he was back in the gym before the end of the year.
Spence will have to prove to those watching on Dec. 5 that he is suffering no lingering effects from the crash but he convinced himself and those close to him long ago that he’s perfectly fine.
He last fought in September of last year, when he defeated Shawn Porter by a split decision in a thrilling, give-and-take fight.
“There was a lot of uncertainty after my accident, but I knew that I wanted to keep training and make sure that I’m 100% ready to get into the ring. The doctors gave me the okay and said everything is fine, so I’m ready to go.”
He knows that he had better be ready to go.
Garcia (36-2, 21 KOs) is a 3½-1 underdog, according to BetMGM, but is perceived to be a genuine threat to Spence (26-0, 21 KOs). The Philadelphian is a two-division titleholder with proven ability, power and resilience. And, as Spence’s trainer Derrick James said, “Danny is a very smart fighter.”
Only Porter and Keith Thurman were able to beat Garcia and both fights could’ve gone the other way.
“I picked Danny Garcia because he’s a tough opponent with a granite chin,” Spence said. “He’s always in tough close fights. He’s going to bring the best out of me.
“… I don’t know if Danny is the hardest puncher I’ve faced. We’ll see when I get into the ring against him. But I know that I’m not Amir Khan or Adrian Granados or anyone else that he’s knocked out.”
One thing seems obvious as the fight approaches: Spence and James have left no stone unturned.
Spence has essentially been in the gym for almost a year. And he and Garcia agreed in late July to fight one another, which gave “The Truth” more than three months to tailor his training specifically for Garcia.
The accident aside, he might be better prepared for this fight than any other in his career.
“Errol has been working hard,” James said. “The dedication and determination are there. He’s pushing himself as hard or harder than ever. You can tell there’s a competition within himself so that he can push himself to be the best he’s ever been.
“[Garcia is] one of the most decorated fighters in the sport and he’s got a great resume. He’s definitely a threat. So me and Errol both need to be on our ‘A’ game to be able to beat him.”
Spence doesn’t seem to have doubts about what we’ll see on Dec. 5.
“I want to make an impactful statement,” he said. “I guarantee there’s going to be highlights everywhere from this one. It’s going to be a great performance.”
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