By: Hans Themistode
Errol Spence Jr (25-0, 21 KOs) has begged for big fights for years but to no avail. Fast forward several years later and he is getting his wish. His first ring appearance of the year resulted in him winning a wide decision over four division champion Mikey Garcia. It was a big fight for Spence. Well, as far as the name goes. The contest on the other hand wasn’t very competitive. That won’t be the case in his next bout.
This Saturday night at the Staples Center, in Los Angeles, California, Spence will be looking to unify his IBF title when he takes on fellow champion, WBC belt holder Shawn Porter (30-2-1, 17 KOs). It’s hard to find anyone who isn’t picking Spence to win the fight as most people see Porter as having virtually no chance. This just isn’t the case. In fact, this could easily be the hardest fight of Spence’s young career.
If the IBF champ isn’t careful, things could very well go wrong for him on fight night. It won’t be an easy nights work but Spence can pull off the victory with these keys to victory.
Bully The Bully
Shawn Porter isn’t a very big fighter as he stands at just 5 feet 7 inches, but when he gets in the ring he fights more like a big man. Porter uses a very rough and physical style to throw off his opponents. His work rate and non stop motor can give problems to anyone. He has successfully bullied plenty of his opponents in the ring. Spence is fully expecting the pressure from Porter but what he needs to do is accept and embrace it. Backing up from Porter will play right into his hands.
When Porter charges in, Spence should do the same. Show Porter that he is in fact the smaller man. Porter won’t get discouraged by simply hitting him with counter shots. Spence needs to make him feel the size difference between the two.
Kill The Body
Spence isn’t your typical head hunting fighter, he loves going to the body. With a fighter like Porter who will bring a ridiculous amount of energy, Spence needs to slow him down with his work to the body. It doesn’t matter how energetic you are, if you get hit down there enough times it will slow you down. Porter is very quick on his feet and brings relentless pressure so a well timed attack downstairs will be important.
Don’t Force The Knockout
The IBF champ has been adamant about knocking Porter out. No one is denying the power that Spence possesses but Porter has arguably the best chin in the entire division. It seems very unlikely that this will be a short night.
Winging shots from the outside in the attempt to get a quick knockout could lead to Spence tiring himself out. He needs to be patient and pick his shots. If the knockout presents itself then by all means go for it, but if not, rack up the points on the judges scorecards.