One looming question swirling around the highly-anticipated Errol Spence vs. Terence Crawford mega fight July 29 is: what will the undisputed welterweight world championship bout come down to between the undefeated fighters?
Well, Spence’s trainer Derrick James has a theory about what that decisive difference maker will be.
“It’s going to come down to fortitude,” James said in Episode 1 of Showtime’s All Access: Spence vs. Crawford. “[Spence] faced a lot of things that shows that he has the mental fortitude, that mental toughness, and I think that that’s going to play a big role in Errol becoming undisputed champ of the world.”
There was the one-car crash that injured Spence in October 2019, keeping him out of the ring for over a year. Then, in August 2021, Spence suffered a retinal detachment in his left eye, forcing a planned fight against Manny Pacquiao to be scrapped. Yet, “The Truth” kept persevering.
“He said that ‘I’ll get all these belts over here,’” James remembers of Spence’s vow to him. “Regardless of the car accident, regardless of detached retina, he was able to unify the champ, have three belts and all he needs is one more.”
The WBC/IBF/WBA welterweight world champion acknowledges just how much he has had to endure.
“Everything that I’ve been through, especially in the last few years,” Spence said on All Access, “they could make a movie out of my career — different trials and tribulations that I’ve been through.”
Spence (28-0, 22 KOs) believes clashing with the WBO welterweight titleholder Crawford (39-0, 30 KOs) will force each champ to deliver their best performance possible.
“He’s a great fighter, I’m a great fighter,” Spence said. “This fight is happening now, I think it’s happening at a great time. Terence is my dancing partner. I feel like we’re going to make each other great.”