Watch Errol Spence Jr’s son learning to box aged ONE as champ brings kids to gym so they ‘see where food comes from’

FOR Errol Spence Jr boxing is a family affair – with even his one-year-old son beginning to learn the ropes.

Spence, who fights Yordenis Ugas on April 16, is the current unified welterweight world champion but also a father-of-three.

For the Texan, being one of the best boxers in the world goes hand-in-hand with raising his daughters Ivy, six, Violet, five, and son Errol Spence III.

But life for the unbeaten American would never be the same after October 2020 when he welcomed his first son into the world.

Opening up to SunSport, Spence says: “It’s changed a lot. You have to change a lot, I feel like a son is different.

“When he’s in the gym he’s actually trying to box and trying to imitate what everybody is doing.

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“My daughters weren’t really doing that, they were just running around, playing and doing different things like that. He’s like really trying to box.”

Boxing regiments of the past often saw fighters vacant from their families’ life for an entire training camp, which can last months.

But Spence, 32, adopts a new-school attitude, choosing to stay in his home of Texas, with coach Derrick James, who he first met aged 16.

He also brings his kids to work – where they run riot in James’ World Class Boxing Gym – and Spence knows there is a method behind the madness.

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He says: “I want my kids to see where the food comes from.

“My kids might say, ‘Daddy, you always going to the gym. Or, ‘Daddy, you always running’. Things like that.

“And I’ll say, ‘Where do you think the food comes from? Where do you think your clothes come from?’

“I want to show them first hand hard work and they might not realise it now but once they get older and think about it, it’ll be like, ‘Man, daddy really worked hard to get us where we’re at’.”

Often the Texan is accompanied by his three kids and partner while working out in the gym – just the way he likes it.

Spence admits: “It’s something I enjoy because I get to be around my family.

“I feel like if you’re disciplined enough and sustainable to not get sidetracked it’s OK to stay at home and be around your family and friends.

“I’ve been able to do that and I’m just fortunate to have a strong-willed mind to stay home and train around my family.”

Spence recently took his eldest to a local boxing show in Dallas, but his stardom left his daughter asking why so many people wanted pictures with him.

And Ivy was left BORED at the action in the ring – as there is only one fighter she is interested in supporting.

Spence laughs: “They’re still too young to take it all in. My daughter was actually bored!

“She don’t want to go to no more boxing matches unless I’m fighting, so she can cheer me on, that’s what she said.

“But nah, they don’t really understand the magnitude and what’s going on or why people walk up to me and take pictures.

“They don’t understand yet.”

Luckily for Ivy, her dad has no interest in boring fights, returning after a long layoff in yet another massive Showtime PPV event.

Spence in 2019 suffered a horror high-speed car crash and was lucky to survive.

He snubbed a tune-up bout and beat ex-champ Danny Garcia, 34 on his return and secured a super-fight with Manny Pacquiao, 43.

But disaster struck once more as a retina injury in sparring left Spence fearing for his boxing career again.

Fortunately, surgery was a success but his dream fight with Pacquiao went to replacement Ugas, 35, who upset and retired the Filipino.

Spence, after 16 months out, will now face the Cuban for his comeback, putting his WBC and IBF titles on the line for Ugas’ WBA version.

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He says: “I feel like he’s very tough, very skilled, he comes from that old-school Cuban boxing background where they teach him all the fundamentals. 

“He’s a guy that’s no pushover and that I can’t take lightly. He’s coming to get my titles.”

Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk