Errol Spence Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Errol Spence Jr. |
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![]() Spence in 2014
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Nickname(s) | The Truth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rated at | Welterweight | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 9 in | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Reach | 72 in | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Long Island, New York, U.S. |
March 3, 1990 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stance | Southpaw | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Boxing record | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total fights | 29 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wins | 28 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wins by KO | 22 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Losses | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Errol Spence Jr. (born March 3, 1990) is a famous American professional boxer. He used to be a unified champion in the welterweight division. This means he held three major boxing titles at the same time. These were the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC), and International Boxing Federation (IBF) titles. He held them between 2017 and 2023. Before becoming a professional, he was a successful amateur boxer. He won three national championships in the welterweight division. He also represented the U.S. at the 2012 Olympics, reaching the quarter-finals. In 2015, ESPN named Spence the "Prospect of the Year."
Contents
Amateur Boxing Career
Spence started boxing when he was 15 years old. In 2009, he won the U.S. National Golden Gloves competition. He also won three national amateur welterweight championships in a row. These wins were from 2009 to 2011. All his wins were in the welterweight division.
At the 2011 World Championships, Spence reached the quarter-finals. He lost to Serik Sapiyev. In the 2012 London Olympics, he again reached the quarter-finals. He lost to Andrey Zamkovoy from Russia. After the Olympics, Spence decided to become a professional boxer. He finished his amateur career with a great record of 135 wins and only 12 losses.
Professional Boxing Journey
Starting Out as a Pro
On November 9, 2012, Errol Spence Jr. had his first professional fight. He was 22 years old. He fought Jonathan Garcia in California. Spence won the fight by knockout in the third round. In December 2012, he won another fight by knockout against Richard Andrews. This fight was part of a bigger boxing event.
Spence fought eight times in 2013 and won all of them. Six of his wins were by knockout. By the end of 2013, he had won all 10 of his professional fights. Eight of these wins were by knockout.
In June 2014, Spence made his television debut on Showtime. He fought Ronald Cruz and won by a unanimous decision. This means all the judges agreed he won. In December 2014, Spence beat Javier Castro by TKO in the fifth round.
Climbing the Ranks
On April 11, 2015, Spence defeated Samuel Vargas by TKO. This brought his record to 16 wins and no losses. He continued to win, beating Phil Lo Greco in June 2015. Spence then fought Chris van Heerden in September 2015. The referee stopped the fight in the eighth round after Spence knocked van Heerden down twice.
In November 2015, Spence fought Alejandro Barrera. He won by TKO in the fifth round. This win helped him move up in the IBF welterweight rankings. Because of his strong performance, ESPN.com named him the "2015 Prospect of the Year."
Spence vs. Algieri
On April 16, 2016, Spence faced his biggest challenge yet against Chris Algieri. Algieri was a former champion. Spence became the first boxer to stop Algieri, winning by TKO in the fifth round. This was Spence's seventh knockout in a row. After the fight, Spence said he wanted to fight Kell Brook, another top boxer.
Spence vs. Bundu
In August 2016, Spence fought Leonard Bundu. This fight was an important step to become the mandatory challenger for Kell Brook's title. Spence dominated the fight. He knocked Bundu down in the sixth round with a powerful uppercut. The referee stopped the fight right away. Spence again said he wanted to fight Kell Brook for the IBF World title. This fight was watched by a huge audience on NBC, showing how popular Spence was becoming.
Becoming IBF Welterweight Champion
Spence vs. Brook
In May 2017, Errol Spence Jr. finally got his chance to fight Kell Brook. Brook was the IBF welterweight champion. The fight took place in Sheffield, England, in front of 27,000 fans. Spence won the IBF welterweight title by stopping Brook in the 11th round. Spence used strong combinations to wear Brook down. In the 10th round, Brook took a knee after Spence landed many hard punches. In the 11th round, Brook took a knee again, saying he couldn't see. The referee stopped the fight. At the time, Spence was ahead on all the judges' scorecards.
Spence vs. Peterson
On January 20, 2018, Spence defended his IBF title against Lamont Peterson. The fight was held in Brooklyn, New York. Spence showed his power, dropping Peterson in the fifth round. Peterson's trainer stopped the fight at the start of the eighth round to protect his fighter. Spence won by technical knockout. After the fight, Spence said he wanted to unify the welterweight division.
Spence vs. Ocampo
Spence's next mandatory defense was against Carlos Ocampo on June 16, 2018. The fight was in Frisco, Texas, in front of a sold-out crowd. Spence knocked Ocampo out in the very first round. He landed a hard left punch to Ocampo's body, sending him to the canvas. The referee counted to 10, and Ocampo could not get up. This was Spence's 11th knockout in a row. Spence said he wanted to fight other champions to unify the division.
Spence vs. Mikey Garcia
On March 16, 2019, Spence fought Mikey Garcia at AT&T Stadium in Texas. Many fans were excited about this fight. Spence completely outboxed Garcia, using his longer reach to land many jabs. Spence landed 345 punches compared to Garcia's 75. Spence won by a unanimous decision, meaning he won every round on the judges' scorecards. After the fight, boxing legend Manny Pacquiao joined Spence in the ring. Both boxers said they would like to fight each other next.
Becoming Unified Welterweight Champion
Spence vs. Porter
On September 28, 2019, Spence fought Shawn Porter in a big unification fight. Spence's IBF title and Porter's WBC welterweight title were on the line. It was a very exciting fight with lots of action. Spence knocked Porter down in the 11th round. Spence won the fight by a split decision, meaning two judges scored it for him and one for Porter. This made Spence a unified champion, holding both the IBF and WBC titles.
Spence vs. Danny Garcia
After recovering from a car accident, Spence returned to the ring on December 5, 2020. He defended his IBF and WBC welterweight titles against Danny Garcia. The fight took place at AT&T Stadium in Texas. Spence won by a unanimous decision, keeping his titles.
Spence vs. Ugás
On April 16, 2022, Spence fought Yordenis Ugás in a title unification bout. Ugás held the WBA (Super) welterweight title. The fight was held at AT&T Stadium in Texas. Spence won the fight by technical knockout in the tenth round. The ringside doctor stopped the fight because Ugás's right eye was very swollen. Spence was ahead on all the judges' scorecards when the fight ended. This win made Spence a unified champion with three major titles: WBA (Super), WBC, and IBF.
Spence vs. Crawford
On July 29, 2023, Errol Spence Jr. fought Terence Crawford for the undisputed welterweight titles. This was a highly anticipated fight between two undefeated champions. The fight took place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Spence lost the fight by technical knockout in the ninth round.
Personal Life
Errol Spence Jr. was born in Long Island, New York. His father is of Jamaican descent, and his mother is African-American. He has spent most of his life living in Dallas, Texas. He is a father to two daughters and a son.
Car Incidents
In October 2019, Spence was involved in a car accident in Dallas, Texas. His car was traveling at a high speed and flipped multiple times. He was taken to the hospital and recovered from his injuries.
In January 2020, Spence was involved in another car accident. In December 2022, he was in a third car accident. In this incident, another car crashed into his vehicle. Fortunately, Spence and the other people involved were mostly unharmed.
Professional Boxing Record
29 fights | 28 wins | 1 loss |
By knockout | 22 | 1 |
By decision | 6 | 0 |
No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
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29 | Loss | 28–1 | Terence Crawford | TKO | 9 (12), 2:32 | Jul 29, 2023 | T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | Lost WBA (Super), WBC, and IBF welterweight titles; For WBO and vacant The Ring welterweight titles |
28 | Win | 28–0 | Yordenis Ugás | TKO | 10 (12), 1:44 | Apr 16, 2022 | AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, U.S. | Retained WBC and IBF welterweight titles; Won WBA (Super) welterweight title |
27 | Win | 27–0 | Danny Garcia | UD | 12 | Dec 5, 2020 | AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, U.S. | Retained WBC and IBF welterweight titles |
26 | Win | 26–0 | Shawn Porter | SD | 12 | Sep 28, 2019 | Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, U.S. | Retained IBF welterweight title; Won WBC welterweight title |
25 | Win | 25–0 | Mikey Garcia | UD | 12 | Mar 16, 2019 | AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, U.S. | Retained IBF welterweight title |
24 | Win | 24–0 | Carlos Ocampo | KO | 1 (12), 3:00 | Jun 16, 2018 | Ford Center at The Star, Frisco, Texas, U.S. | Retained IBF welterweight title |
23 | Win | 23–0 | Lamont Peterson | RTD | 7 (12), 3:00 | Jan 20, 2018 | Barclays Center, New York City, New York, U.S. | Retained IBF welterweight title |
22 | Win | 22–0 | Kell Brook | KO | 11 (12), 1:47 | May 27, 2017 | Bramall Lane, Sheffield, England | Won IBF welterweight title |
21 | Win | 21–0 | Leonard Bundu | KO | 6 (12), 2:06 | Aug 21, 2016 | Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island, New York City, New York, U.S. | |
20 | Win | 20–0 | Chris Algieri | TKO | 5 (10), 0:48 | Apr 16, 2016 | Barclays Center, New York City, New York, U.S. | |
19 | Win | 19–0 | Alejandro Barrera | TKO | 5 (12), 1:46 | Nov 28, 2015 | The Bomb Factory, Dallas, Texas, U.S. | |
18 | Win | 18–0 | Chris van Heerden | TKO | 8 (10), 0:50 | Sep 11, 2015 | Ricoh Coliseum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada | |
17 | Win | 17–0 | Phil Lo Greco | TKO | 3 (10), 1:50 | Jun 20, 2015 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | |
16 | Win | 16–0 | Samuel Vargas | TKO | 4 (10), 1:45 | Apr 11, 2015 | Barclays Center, New York City, New York, U.S. | |
15 | Win | 15–0 | Francisco Javier Castro | TKO | 5 (8), 2:43 | Dec 13, 2014 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | |
14 | Win | 14–0 | Noe Bolanos | RTD | 2 (8), 3:00 | Sep 11, 2014 | The Joint, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | |
13 | Win | 13–0 | Ronald Cruz | UD | 10 | Jun 27, 2014 | The Joint, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | |
12 | Win | 12–0 | Raymond Charles | TKO | 1 (10), 2:52 | Apr 18, 2014 | Illusions Theater, San Antonio, Texas, U.S. | |
11 | Win | 11–0 | Peter Olouch | KO | 4 (8), 1:39 | Feb 10, 2014 | Cowboys Dancehall, San Antonio, Texas, U.S. | |
10 | Win | 10–0 | Gerardo Cuevas | RTD | 1 (8), 3:00 | Dec 13, 2013 | Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California, U.S. | |
9 | Win | 9–0 | Emmanuel Lartie Lartey | UD | 8 | Oct 14, 2013 | BB&T Center, Sunrise, Florida, U.S. | |
8 | Win | 8–0 | Jesus Tavera | TKO | 1 (8), 2:33 | Sep 12, 2013 | MGM Grand Marquee Ballroom, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | |
7 | Win | 7–0 | Eddie Cordova | KO | 1 (6), 2:13 | Jul 20, 2013 | Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California, U.S. | |
6 | Win | 6–0 | Guillermo Ibarra | KO | 1 (6), 1:32 | Jun 1, 2013 | BB&T Center, Sunrise, Florida, U.S. | |
5 | Win | 5–0 | Brandon Hoskins | TKO | 1 (6), 2:35 | May 3, 2013 | Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Paradise, Nevada, U.S | |
4 | Win | 4–0 | Luis Torres | UD | 4 | Mar 2, 2013 | Our Lady of the Lake University Gym, San Antonio, Texas, U.S. | |
3 | Win | 3–0 | Nathan Butcher | TKO | 1 (4), 1:03 | Jan 26, 2013 | The Joint, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | |
2 | Win | 2–0 | Richard Andrews | TKO | 3 (4), 0:44 | Dec 15, 2012 | Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California, U.S. | |
1 | Win | 1–0 | Jonathan Garcia | KO | 3 (4), 2:41 | Nov 9, 2012 | Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California, U.S. |
Titles in Boxing
Major World Titles
- WBA (Super) welterweight champion (147 lbs)
- WBC welterweight champion (147 lbs)
- IBF welterweight champion (147 lbs)
Honorary Titles
- WBC Diamond welterweight champion
- WBC Health Care Hero champion
Pay-Per-View Fights
No. | Date | Fight | Billing | Buys | Network | Revenue |
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1 |
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Errol Spence Jr. vs. Mikey Garcia | Spence Jr. vs. Garcia | 360,000 | Fox Sports | $30,000,000 |
2 |
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Errol Spence Jr. vs. Shawn Porter | Spence Jr. vs. Porter | 350,000 | Fox Sports | $26,250,000 |
3 |
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Errol Spence Jr. vs. Danny García | Spence Jr. vs. García | 250,000 | Fox Sports | $18,750,000 |
4 |
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Errol Spence Jr. vs. Yordenis Ugás | Spence Jr. vs. Ugás | 250,000 | Showtime | $32,125,000 |
5 |
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Errol Spence Jr. vs. Terence Crawford | Undefeated. Undisputed. Unprecedented. | 700,000 | Showtime | $59,000,000 |
Total | 1,910,000 | $166,125,000 |
See also
In Spanish: Errol Spence Jr. para niños
- List of southpaw stance boxers
- List of world welterweight boxing champions