By: Hans Themistode
Versatility hasn’t always been the name of Errol Spence Jr’s game. But after abandoning his come forward/bully style to out box one of the best pure boxers in the world in Mikey Garcia, Spence proved that the layers to his abilities are complex.
The same however, can’t be said for his opponent come November 21st, in Danny Garcia. At least according to Spence Jr.
“I got so many gears,” said Spence Jr. during a recent joint interview with both Garcia and Brian Kenny. “I can box, I can fight, bang, use angles. Danny just has one gear, counterpunch and be patient. With me, you have to train for everything.”
At the moment, Spence Jr. (26-0, 21 KOs) is the prohibited favorite to retain his WBC and IBF titles when the two meet in roughly two months. Something that Garcia shakes his head at. The Philadelphia native has never been the type to defend himself from doubters. But he couldn’t help but laugh and give Spence Jr. an incredulous look when he spoke on his skillset.
“I would have to disagree with that. I out box the sluggers and out bang the bangers. I’ve faced the hardest hitters and my chin done stood up to the test. I beat them because I was better, not just because I was a counter puncher.”
Those aforementioned sluggers and bangers that Garcia (36-2, 21 KOs) refers to comes from his days at 140 pounds. From 2012 to 2015, the former unified champion went on a run that saw him take down the divisions best including a prime Amir Khan, Lucas Matthysse, Lamont Peterson and a host of others.
That string of victories not only allowed him to wrap several world titles around his waist, but it also made him the man to beat. That success however, hasn’t exactly translated to the 147 pound division. Garcia did manage to pick up a vacant world title against Robert Guerrero in 2016, but he lost it shortly after in the biggest contest of his career against Keith Thurman. That loss, coupled with another, this time at the hands of Shawn Porter, has convinced Spence Jr. that Garcia may have been the man at 140, but at 147 he’s just a regular guy.
“At 140, I’m not going to lie, he was doing his thing and was a great champion. But at 147 he’s fallen short. At the end of the day I’m going to dictate everything that is going to happen in the fight.”