ERROL SPENCE JR has vowed to ‘prove everybody wrong’ in his first fight since cheating death in a horror car crash.
The Texan defends his unified WBC and IBF welterweight titles in his hometown this weekend.
Errol Spence Jr training for his fight against Danny Garcia [/caption]
The homecoming comes a year after he flipped his Ferrari in a high-speed crash which left him in hospital with horrific facial wounds.
Up until that point, the unbeaten champion had been flawless in his 26-0 career.
So following the crash, he has been motivated to prove any doubters who question his mental or physical state wrong.
Spence, 30, told SunSport: “I’m just focussed to prove everybody wrong and go out there and be victorious.
“Of course I’m hungry because there’s a lot of people doubting me, saying I’ll be a shell of myself, so there’s been an extra umph in this camp.”
Spence was hit with a DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) charge as dramatic footage revealed his sports car flipping several times over.
He somehow came out without any lasting damage, despite being left hospitalised with several cuts and bruises.
After coming out of treatment, Spence had only one thing on his mind – returning to the gym.
And despite avoiding sparring for the first few months due to a swollen jaw, the rejuvenated American claims to have been unaffected during training.
He said: “There’s been no injuries as far as post-car accident or anything like that.
“As for as anything else, everything has been the same, I’ve been checked out by the doctors.
“With this fight it’s kept me focussed, staying hungry and staying in the gym and dedicated.
“I went back to the drawing board and focussing on the things that got me where I am now, training camp’s been going great.”
Spence – who adores his daughters Ivy and Violet – has just welcomed the newest member of his family after the birth of son Errol Jr.
The champ regularly brings his little girls to the gym and his horror crash reminds him of the second chance he has been afforded.
Spence training on the pads for his title defence [/caption]
The Texan will put the WBC and IBF belts on the line [/caption]
Spence shadow boxes in the ring during a workout [/caption]
And he admits that fame and fortune can be a struggle in as much as you can lose everything in an instant.
It leaves him crediting Floyd Mayweather – who retired 50-0 – with the former pay-per-view king never once losing commitment.
Spence explained: “It’s kind of hard when you’re a guy that’s getting new money, having never had it before and getting access to different things that are presented to you when you get to a certain level.
“It can be shocking, to stay on top, guys like Floyd he stayed on top and never let anything distract him.
“Yeah, he did his thing, but when it was time to buckle down and train hard for a fight he was focussed and locked in.
“He knew a loss or anything could happen and everything could be taken away from it way faster then he got it.
“That’s what I had to focus on, locking down and staying focussed because it can get taken away, especially if I take it for granted.”
Spence whacks the heavy bag during a workout [/caption]
Spence pictured with his two daughters [/caption]
Following such a devastating collision, pound-for-pound contender Spence could have been excused for wanting an easier route back to the ring.
But instead, the defiant southpaw – feeling he has something to prove – wanted only to face the best.
So now his fight against Danny Garcia – which was set for January until the crash – will be his first since escaping death.
And it was a request he specifically asked his advisor Al Haymon at PBC to approve.
Spence revealed: “Fighting a lesser opponent that I know I can beat, I don’t think it would have me 100 per cent focussed like Danny Garcia has got me.
“I basically told my manager Al Haymon, ‘I’m a shark, don’t put me in the pool with tuna’s and seabass. Put me in the tank with other sharks’.
“I want to be in there with a shark, so we chose Danny Garcia.”
Danny Garcia will challenge welterweight champ Spence [/caption]
Garcia training for the fight with his dad Angel[/caption]
Garcia is a former two-weight champion[/caption]
Garcia is a former two-weight champion, who has lost just twice in 38 fights, against Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter.
And it was Porter who Spence last fought, edging out in a fight of the year contender last September.
A month later, and Spence’s career looked up in the air, as was the remains of his Ferrari.
But now, Spence plans to capitalise on his fortunate survival and wants to unify the division by beating Manny Pacquiao and Terence Crawford.
Then, with all four of the welterweight titles, he believes his mission will be accomplished by being recognised as boxing’s best.
He said: “When I become undisputed welterweight champion of the world, I’ll have to be No1 in the sport.
“It would make sense, why wouldn’t I be?
“With the kind of names that are at 147lb for me to beat to become undisputed champion, I’d have to be the No1 guy in the world.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
