Going into Saturday night’s fight with Shawn Porter, the statement we heard, from more than a few people, way more than once, was that Errol Spence had never been in a “gut-check” fight, a real test. Now, having come through the toughest, and most exciting, fight of his career, Spence is hearing from his likely next foe, Danny Garcia, that he “has never faced a person who can hit as hard as me.”
This is what “Swift” had to say as he was asked, by Fight Hub, for his opinion on Spence’s close decision win over warrior and common opponent Porter (Porter winning a unanimous decision over Garcia in September of last year). Garcia also stated that Spence “is there to be hit,” and that Porter never backed him up in their fight as much as “Showtime” was able to back up Spence in their’s. Garcia looked genuinely confident when he spoke about how he truly believes he can beat Spence.
Garcia, 35-2(21) and never stopped (though a better 140 pound fighter than a 147 pounder) is hoping he will get next crack at the now unified WBC/IBF ruler and pound-for-pound entrant. Garcia can for sure punch (but again, he was far more dangerous down at 140) and the 31 year old is also in possession of fast hands and good counter-punching skills. But has Garcia got enough to be able to beat Spence; a fighter who seems to be approaching his absolute peak right about now?
It would/will be a good fight, a solid fight from a solid match-up, but of course it’s not the fight we all want to see. No, the fight that gets that tick in the box is Spence against WBO welterweight boss Terence Crawford. But while we are forced to continue waiting for that fight, with the promoters continuing to have a tough time getting together to make a deal, Spence Vs. Garcia is no bad fight.
You can call it a sure win for Spence if you want (and it is tough to see anyone, Crawford aside, beating “The Truth”), but Garcia has a ton of experience, pride, skills and heart. Not to mention (again) his self belief. Porter surprised some with the way he so severely tested Spence and made him FIGHT. Maybe Garcia can do likewise, if with different tactics and a different approach.
Writer Mike Coppinger has tweeted how “sources” say a deal is in place for Spence-Garcia, the fight to go out on Fox PPV on January 25th.
