Spence, seeking Brook’s belt, aims to show grit in Britain
The enormity of being left alone in the ring, with seemingly an entire country cheering on a world-champion opponent intent on keeping his belt, will make for a daunting task for Errol Spence Jr.
“It’s something I have to deal with,” unbeaten welterweight Spence (21-0, 18 knockouts) said. “I just have to listen to my coach and block it all out. This is about seeing what a real fighter is made of, what a real champion is made of. I’ll know I’m a real fighter if I can do that.”
The 27-year-old Texan ventures to Sheffield, England’s 30,000-plus-capacity Bramall Lane Football Ground on Saturday on Showtime (2:15 p.m. PDT) to meet International Boxing Federation champion Kell Brook (36-1, 25 KOs).
Spence’s rise from the 2012 Olympics has included skillful showings such as an impressive fifth-round technical knockout of former 140-pound champion Chris Algieri, but Brook has lost only after daring to move up in weight to fight unbeaten middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin in September.
Brook, 31, won his belt by defeating American Shawn Porter by majority decision in 2014 at StubHub Center, and he landed some clean, impressive punches on Golovkin before the powerful puncher broke Brook’s orbital bone en route to an early stoppage.
The IBF designated Spence as Brook’s mandatory challenger.
“He’s my toughest fight yet, on paper,” Spence said. “Good fighter with a lot of skills. He can fight.
“I have my strategies — dictating the pace, controlling the actions of the fight. … I’m going to try and keep it out of the judges’ hands, but I’m not concerned about what could be going on. Hopefully, they do what they do and it’s a fair fight. I’m going to fight my fight and I hope the judges appreciate that.”
The favored Spence is trying to become the first American to dethrone an Englishman on British soil since Palm Springs’ Tim Bradley defeated Junior Witter in 2008.
Spence seeks to display the almost solitary commitment he has to the sport after being guided through amateur boxing by his father. As a pro, he insists on keeping his circle tight, avoiding the entourages that have distracted and changed others.
“I want it real bad, so I know I have to stay hungry to get the world title and stay dedicated 100% to my craft,” he said.
Beyond the task of fighting a world champ on hostile ground, Spence understands the pressure this fight puts on his future aspirations. He’s positioned to further strengthen the welterweight division, with two-belt champion Keith Thurman likely to meet Porter this year, setting up a 2018 unification.
“The division is hot right now. Everyone’s fighting each other. I know the fights will get made because most of the top fighters are signed with [manager] Al Haymon,” said Spence, with former champion Danny Garcia a prospective foe.
“I feel like this is my coming-out party, something I’ve been waiting on for a long time. I finally get my opportunity to win a world title and go on to win more world titles. I’m focused on the ways I can have success.”