Unbeaten southpaw Errol Spence Junior, who ripped the IBF welterweight crown from Kell Brook in Sheffield, England in May, is looking at making his maiden title defence in either December of January, likely in New York.
Errol Spence Jr.
Errol Spence boxing news
Errol Spence “chasing world title fights,” says he has wanted a fight with Keith Thurman since he was 15-0
In the opinion of some good judges, unbeaten Errol Spence Junior, the reigning IBF welterweight king, has already proven himself as the best 147 pounder in the sport today; others need further proof. And the gifted southpaw who relieved the long-reigning Kell Brook of his IBF belt just over two months ago is fully intending on providing this proof.
The 27 year old from Texas with the 22-0(19) record spoke with Sky Sports recently, and “The Truth” made it clear he intends to prove his bold nickname is one he is worthy of carrying. Spence wants all the titles at 147 and he wants them asap.
Spence Jr vs. Thurman: “The Truth” says he can knock Thurman out
It’s the biggest and best welterweight fight that can take place today, and it would be one of the biggest in the division’s history for quite some time: a three belt unification showdown between unbeaten champions/stars Errol Spence Junior and Keith Thurman.
Spence, the new IBF champ, instantly called out Thurman, the unified WBA/WBC champ, after he had stopped a battered Kell Brook in Sheffield. So we know the talented southpaw wants it; but does Thurman? Thurman is currently injured and is unlikely to fight again until the end of the year, maybe in November or December. We may, then, have to wait until next year for this, an absolutely mouth-watering fight. It will be worth waiting for.
Ranking the welterweight’s: Today’s new top-10
Arguably the best, most talented and exciting weight class in the sport today, the welterweight division is currently crammed full with great fighters. New star Errol Spence Junior is for many the new top dog, having relieved a brave but, in the end, outclassed Kell Brook of his belt. But does Spence deserve to be ranked at number-one?
Here is a top-10 you may or may not agree with:
Kell Brook’s courage in taking a knee against Spence was exemplary
The criticism levelled at Kell Brook in the wake of his 11th round KO defeat to Errol Spence is a stark reminder that boxing is and always has been a sport of extremes, wherein the very best and the very worst of human nature is exposed. Courage, respect, resilience, and skill is offset in boxing by cowardice, venality, brutality, and cruelty. Typically the former are expressed inside the ring on the part of the fighters, while the latter is the domain of the sport’s fans and spectators, many of whom take the opportunity, when watching a fight, to give expression to their own lack of achievements, happiness, or self respect by taking delight in misfortune to befall a given fighter whose only crime is to have dedicated his life to the hardest sport there is and achieve a level of fame, success, and admiration conversant with that dedication.
Amir Khan-Kell Brook: Still a great fight? Still 50/50?
Was it just me, or was Amir Khan struggling, at least a little bit, to hide the glee, the sense of satisfaction he had on Saturday night, when his long-time verbal tormentor/possible ring rival Kell Brook was badly beaten by Errol Spence Junior?
Khan, along with Tony Bellew (who also provided punditry duties for Sky Sports Box-Office) was critical of Brook’s decision to “quit” against the unbeaten, sizzling southpaw; the knee Brook opted to take in that 11th round, his eye in pain, his sight almost gone, being pretty much vilified by both fighters. Debate has raged since Saturday’s great fight: is Brook a quitter, or was he doing what anyone else with such a nasty, potentially life-changing injury would have done in the heat of battle (heat, we must remember, no armchair critic has ever come anywhere close to experiencing)?
Is Errol Spence Junior the best welterweight in the world?
The scary thing about new IBF welterweight ruler Errol Spence Junior is we might not have seen him at anything approaching his absolute best yet. The new champ courtesy of his 11th round TKO win over Kell Brook, Spence says he felt sluggish due to inactivity, giving himself only a B-minus for his display in Sheffield.
Spence, despite his own self criticism, sure looked good. Fast, his blur of a right jab especially laser-like, powerful and, we now know, possessing a good chin, Spence looked every bit like his nickname; “The Truth.” We have a new star in the talent-rich welterweight division, that much is certain – but is Spence the best 147 pounder right now?
The Truth hurts: Should Kell Brook really be called a quitter?
It’s one of the harshest insults that can be thrown at a fighter: that of him being a quitter. Though every fighter who steps into the ring deserves immense respect, it is still considered a let down, unforgivable even, if a hero, a fighter fans have paid money to see go to war, quits during the action.
Right now, former IBF welterweight champ Kell Brook is on the receiving end, with many fans, and fellow fighters, hurling the quitter tag at him. Brook, badly busted up around the left eye, opted to take a knee in the 11th round of his thrilling fight with new king Errol Spence Junior, and though Brook says he simply could not see in that torrid round, there seem to be few people willing to cut him much slack.
Errol Spence TKOs Kell Brook
Undefeated welterweight Errol Spence Jr. dethroned defending champion Kell Brook and won the IBF Welterweight World Championship with an 11th round TKO (1:47) in the main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Saturday in front of 27,000 raucous fans at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, England.
Spence, (22-0, 19 KOs), who with this victory became the first American to dethrone an Englishman on British soil in nearly a decade, executed a brilliant game plan to strip Brook, (31-2, 25 KOs), of his belt before his hometown crowd.
Results: Brook QUITS! Spence wins
Errol Spence Jr. (22-0, 19 KOs) put in a workmanlike performance in wearing down Kell “Special K” Brook (36-2, 25 KOs) in stopping him in the 11th round to take his IBF welterweight title from him at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, England. Brook quit on in the 11th after taking knee for the second time in the fight.