In his home town, in front of his own people of Texas, fighting in the AT&T stadium in Arlington.
Errol “the truth” Spence Jr put on a boxing clinic to dominate the previously unbeaten Mikey Garcia, in a one-sided, unanimous 120-107, 120-108, 120-108 points victory. To retain his IBF welterweight title and further elevate his growing reputation in the pound for pound stakes.
Although in my eyes, Mikey Garcia is in the pound for pound top ten conversation.
I had been saying for a while, the fight will prove why there are weight classes. Spence Jr, not only is a fully blown welterweight for Garcia, who was moving up two weights from lightweight to fight him. Spence Jr’s skills in general is exceptional and he is only just getting started.
It’s that age-old saying that a good big guy will always beat a good little guy. Well Spence Jr is more than just a good welterweight. He could well be the best welterweight around. Although Terrence “Bud” Crawford will have a thing or two to say about that.
I did feel sorry for Mikey Garcia, who is a fighter that I really like, and know will have many big fights and wins in his future. He could and should still be on the path to a mega lightweight showdown with Lomachenko, a fight I would love to see.
But in this fight, he just couldn’t do anything with Spence Jr.
You could see from the opening bell Spence Jr had the reach advantage and his footwork, power and southpaw style was going to give the Mexican, two belt world champion all he could handle.
The visibly bigger Spence Jr started on the front foot from the opening bell and asserted his dominance throughout. He regularly out-punched Garcia, used his jab to set up his straight left hand shots through the middle.
The first few rounds continued this way, as Garcia gallantly tried to get a feel in the fight, but was kept at bay by Spence Jr’s accuracy.
In the middle rounds Spence Jr began to vary his shots. He certainly didn’t waste any, but still out punched Garcia at an alarming rate, with his movement and accuracy. Garcia had some fleeting success at the end of the 4th and beginning of the 5th. But it just caused Spence Jr to move up a gear in the 6th and he rocked Garcia’s head back with a few shots.
This pattern continued in the 7th & 8th. Where it seemed Garcia was now starting to feel the accumulative effects of Spence Jr’s shots, as his nose started to stream blood.
In the ninth, Spence Jr started to walk Garcia down and arguably had his best round of the fight, as he piled on the pressure, backed Garcia up with some punishing shots to the head and body.
The final three rounds was all about Spence Jr showing his boxing ability, with more surgical precision like shots to head and body. However, Garcia has to be given credit. He showed his heart, as he took some heavy shots.
His face was showing the signs of this, but the continued on and never quit. Spence Jr’s size, reach and power, combined with his exceptional boxing ability was just way to much for a lightweight moving up.
It was not like a Khan v Canelo, where Khan was winning the fight and got knocked spark out by the power of a devastating Canelo shot. Or a Brook v Golovkin, where Brook was doing well and having success, but the weight and power told in the end for Golovkin.
Spence Jr put on a clinic and showed how technically good he is as a boxer. He out landed Garcia by a margin of 345-75 according to CompuBox.
After the victory Spence Jr called out Manny Pacquiao, saying it would be an honour to fight him. Pacquiao responded by saying he would be happy to fight Spence Jr.
Contrary to what many staunch Pacman fans have been saying in the past days or so. I feel this would be a very bad fight for Pacquiao.
Despite his recent wins over Broner & Matthysse. Pacman is 40 years of age and obviously not the Pacquiao of old. His last two wins were over a gun-shy, already been exposed Broner and a long been on his last legs Matthysse.
These wins were more about the ailing’s of his opponents than the brilliance of Pacquiao.
Errol Spence Jr is an entirely different prospect. He is young, hungry, extremely talented with a growing skill set, strong at the weight and is still improving. Many Pacman fans are saying he is not ready for Pacquiao….
But which Pacquiao are they talking about? The one that got schooled by Mayweather? The one that got knocked sparked out by Marquez or the one that got roughed up by Jeff Horn? For me his last real impressive win was a points victory over Tim Bradley in 2016.
I feel again with the size and reach advantage, combined with his ever-growing boxing ability.
Spence Jr could beat Pacquiao in all these ways mentioned above, and as it has already been done to Pacquiao before, it can be done again. Especially by a boxer with such an exceptional talent as Erroll Spence Jr.
One thing is for sure. The future is extremely bright for the Dallas native. Although we all have our own views of boxing’s pound for pound rankings.
No matter what your view is. You cant help but to, or will be mad not to put Errol Spence Jr right up there in the conversation, and that’s The Truth!
