On March 16th, Errol “The Truth” Spence (24-0 21 KO) will defend his IBF Welterweight Championship (147 lbs.) against Mikey Garcia (39-0 30 KO). The consensus around the boxing world is that Spence (5’9.5″) is too big for Garcia (5’6″) who usually fights from 126 to 135 lbs. but this fight has many more aspects to consider.
Garcia will look to utilize the wealth of experience he has gained from his 39 professional fights to nullify the pressure of “The Truth”. The 31 year-old is a very cerebral fighter, one of those fighters that you can call “a great thinker”. In the midst of battle, Garcia excels at making on-the-fly adjustments that either swings the fight in his favor or puts his opponent in a more compromised position. Garcia also possesses the killer instinct that any great fighter needs, with speed and footwork to match. His 30 KOs is evidence of Garcia’s punching power which will be tested as he will be fighting two weight divisions over his usual division. Looking at him critically however, Garcia’s defense may land him in an undesirable position. Garcia is a very smart fighter and hasn’t been stopped in his professional career, but occasionally he fights with his hands a bit low, and he certainly hasn’t competed with a fighter that possesses the power of Spence.
Spence, the hometown fighter out of Dallas, TX, will look to first, utilize his 4-inch reach advantage, then impose his will on California’s Mikey Garcia. “The Truth” has looked like a generational fighter in his career thus far; seemingly facing very little trouble in his 24 professional bouts. He undoubtedly possesses stunning power in his hands, with laser accuracy to match. His opponents often appear mentally defeated before he finishes them as they begin to realize they can not properly defend the balanced attack that Spence mounts. He personifies the term “Body Snatcher” by ripping to the body just as his opponents attempt to defend his powerful hooks and straight left hands to the head. The incredible power that Spence puts behind his hooks to the body can stop a fight at any time. Being a southpaw is always an advantage because of the rarity of left-handed fighters, but Spence utilizes it even more by attacking the exposed liver area of fighters who fight in the orthodox stance with powerful left hooks. “The Truth” fights with a pace that puts a substantial amount of pressure on his opponents–forcing many of them to fold into submission. He also uses an intelligent defensive shell that prevents his opponents from countering his pressure. Spence is seemingly always composed in the ring but one thing we haven’t seen is his ability to overcome adversity. If Garcia can hurt Spence, and cause him to panic, “The Truth” may not have the night he sees himself having.
Expect fireworks on March 16th as Spence and Garcia look to remain at the top of their fan’s pound-for-pound lists (Garcia 5 and Spence 6 on ESPN’s list). Global Fight Talk will be watching for sure!Learn More
