THE REAL THING!
Sugar Ray: Brook and Spence will show up ‘embarrassing’ Floyd
SUGAR Ray Leonard expects Ke l l Brook’s world welterweight title defence against US prodigy Errol Spence Jr will do more good for the image of boxing than the showbiz spectacular between Floyd Mayweather and UFC star Conor McGregor.
‘These two young men,’ says Leonard of Brook and Spence, ‘have the talent to remind the world what boxing should be all about. When this fight was first mooted I favoured Spence.
‘But the closer it gets the more intrigued I’ve become about an even and potentially outstanding fight. It will be better for boxing than Floyd v McGregor, even though that will make money.
‘A mixed martial arts fighter has no chance in a pure boxing match against someone as goodood as Floyd. It could only be interesting if the UFCC guy was allowed to o kick as well, the way that Japanese kickboxer did against Muhammad Ali.
‘ But this will be embarrassing. The wider public will go for r it but for the hardcore re boxing fans it will be a no-no.’
It is Spence who Leonard believes has the potential to reprise the golden age he shared with Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran and Marvin Hagler. He says: ‘In our day there was a plethora of fine boxers in the welterweight division. Not just the household names but other guys who could have become famous.
‘Now Spence looks as if he could become the new superstar. He is the full package. An exceptional boxer who is also a very nice guy outside the ring. He is one of a couple I could pick out with the potential to inherit our legacy.
‘But this is the fight where he has to prove it. There’s so much riding on it, for both of them.
‘Errol is coming to challenge a tough IBF champion in his home town. This is his first world-title fight, first time boxing in another country, his first experience of a big hostile crowd in a stadium.
‘I think he will cope with all that but neither he nor us will know for sure until he gets out there.
‘Brook is naturally bigger at welterweight. If I was Kell I would try to put it on him from the start.
‘Let Spence feel what it’s like when you get hit by someone five or 10 pounds heavier. There’s a difference, believe me. I felt that extra power when I moved up to middleweight against Hagler.
‘Errol should do what I had to do to get that win. Keep mobile. Don’t stay too long in the pocket or on the ropes.’ Brook hopes that inflicting a first dedefeat on Spence will earn him increased resrespect. Leonard says: ‘IIf he squashes Errol’s dream in an exciting fight, America will want to see more of him. But the prize is biggerb for Spence. TThe fans in the US lovelo him already and if he pputs on a show in the UK, maybe knocks out Brook,Bk hhe will become huge. I can’t wait to see what happens.’ CARL FROCH believes George Groves needs to find a way of coping with his guilt over the injuries Eduard Gutknecht suffered in their last fight.
Groves fights Fedor Chudinov on Saturday for the WBA supermiddleweight title and has admitted he is still ‘struggling’ after his November points win left Gutknecht unable to walk or talk.
Froch said: ‘He (Gutknecht) is in a bad way and George is the cause of that. I would put it down as unfortunate, a terrible injury. You don’t want it to happen to anyone but you have to move on.’
Brook v Spence Jr, plus George Groves v Fedor Chudinov for the WBA supermiddleweight title, will be live on Sky Sports Box Office on Saturday night.