SPORTS SHORTS 175: WHO IS ERROL SPENCE? NOTHING BUT "THE TRUTH" (SIXTH OF A SERIES/CONCLUSION)
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 21 Jul 2021
"The Truth Hurts: Errol Spence Dominates Mikey Garcia" is published by Kelsey McCarson of NY Times. "IBF welterweight titleholder Errol Spence Jr. completely outclassed Mikey Garcia on Saturday night at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas."
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McCarson was referring to Spence's nickname "The Truth" as he completely outperformed and blanked former lightweight champion Mikey Garcia.
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Here's what Spence told 105.3 FM The Fan's "GBag Nation" on how he got his nickname "The Truth." "The nickname started from a commentator. He was announcing in the ring in the Golden Gloves. He just started calling me The Truth."
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"And then there was a heckler in the crowd every time that I won and he was yelling 'The Truth! Truth! Truth!' every fight. It was like five days in a row. And people started calling me that. Then when I turned pro I just started calling myself The Truth," Spence was quoted by Dallas Morning News.
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Tom Gray of The Ring wrote: "It’s easy for a fighter to label himself 'The Truth' but it’s another thing to earn that moniker officially. Unbeaten American southpaw Errol Spence Jr. did just that by scoring an 11th-round knockout over Kell Brook to claim the IBF welterweight title."
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“I proved tonight that I had a chin and I have true grit,” Spence said in his post-fight interview after his stoppage of Brook. “He came over to America to take the title (from Shawn Porter) and I came over to the U.K. to take the title from him. True champions go anywhere to fight.”
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Forever Boxing posted: "Spence is a southpaw who has a boxer-puncher style and also carries a high boxing IQ. He is not the type to waste his punches even though he is a very active fighter."
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The article continued : "Almost all of his punches are thrown with accuracy and bad intentions, his combinations to the head and body also make him a very dangerous fighter."
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Spence mentioned this before he won his IBF welterweight title: "A lot of people have high hopes for my career. I'll stay in the gym and prepare over everybody, and myself, right, that I'll be a top pound-for-pound fighter, win titles in multiple weight classes, and beat the best fighters out there."
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"Hopefully I’ll be mentioned as an all-time great like Sugar Ray Leonard and Floyd Mayweather, and Tommy Hearns and Oscar De La Hoya," boasted Spence.
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“It’s a factor when guys go the distance with other fighters and I knock them out. I always want to outperform my foes,” said Spence, adding that he wants “to rule with an iron fist” and “be pound-for-pound No. 1.”
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Will "The Truth" come out? The question will be answered after the Errol Spence vs. Manny Pacquiao tussle on August 21.
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ERROL SPENCE, JR.
USA BOXING
Biodata
Weight Class: Welterweight/152 lbs
Hometown: Desoto, Texas
Birthdate: March 3, 1990
Height: 5-10
Coach’s name: Derrick James
Club name: Maple Avenue Boxing Gym
Began boxing: 2005
Reason for becoming involved in boxing: My dad and watching Oscar de la Hoya
Career highlight: 2009, 2010, 2011 USA National Champion, 2009 and 2010 National Golden Gloves Champion
Who has been your biggest influence and why: My mother
What is your greatest strength in the ring: Speed
Did you ever play any other sport: Football, baseball, basketball
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Errol Spence Jr.
Professional Record
Wins 27
Losses 0
Draws 0
KO Wins 21
Bouts 27
Rounds 132
KOs 77.78%
Debut November 9, 2012
Titles held World Boxing Council world welterweight title and International Boxing Federation world welterweight title
Alias The Truth
Age 31
Nationality USA
Stance southpaw
Height 5′ 9½″ (177cm)
Reach 72″ (183cm)
Residence Desoto, Texas, USA
Birth place Long Island, New York, USA
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Errol Spence Jr. Pound-for-pound Rating
The Ring #6
BWAA #4
TBRB #5
ESPN #4
BoxRec #4
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Another popular boxer was nicknamed "The Truth". Carl Williams was an American heavyweight boxer who fought as a professional from 1982 to 1997. He challenged twice for heavyweight world titles. He fought for the IBF title against Larry Holmes in 1985 and the undisputed title against Mike Tyson in 1989.
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He lost to Holmes by unanimous decision on May 20, 1985 at Lawlor Events Center, Reno, Nevada for the WBC heavyweight titles for his first career loss. Then he was stopped by Tyson in the first round on July 21, 1989 at the Convention Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey for the WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight titles.
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Williams won a regional level championship, the USBA heavyweight title from 1987 to 1991. He died on April 7, 2013, of esophageal cancer. His professional record was 30-10, 21 KOs with one no contest.
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Since Spence defeated Kell Brook to win the IBF welterweight championship, he became only the third boxer ever from Dallas County to hold a world title.
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Welterweight Curtis Cokes remains as Dallas' only undisputed world champion. He reigned in the late 1960s. Quincy Taylor won the WBC middleweight title in August of 1995 but immediately surrendered it in his first title defense seven months later.
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Spence idolized Ali: "Muhammad Ali was an icon and he revolutionized [boxing]. Ali was a great fighter, an Olympic gold medalist, and someone that I look up to."
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"He was the first fighter I knew because my dad used to talk about him and listen to him on the radio station all the way in Jamaica when he was a kid. He's the greatest fighter of all time," Spence said of Ali.
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The nineteen athletes who qualified and strive to bring honor and glory for the Philippines are all accounted for, three days before the start of the Tokyo Olympics. US Women's Open champion Yuka Saso arrived on Monday to complete the delegation for Team Philippines in this very unique Summer Games in the pandemic.
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“Everyone who’s here are already training in their respective training venues,” said Team Philippines chef de mission Mariano "Nonong" Araneta, as quoted by Spin.ph, whose small staff is already very busy attending to the needs of the diminutive contingent in the Olympics which will be played without fans.
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With his selection to the U.S. Olympic Team, Kevin Durant becomes just the fourth United States male basketball player selected to three or more Olympic teams. At the 2012 Olympics, Durant had averages of 19.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, as the U.S. team went undefeated to the gold medal.
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Carmelo Anthony (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016) has joined and won medals for a USA men’s record four Olympics, while LeBron James (2004, 2008, 2012) and David Robinson (1988, 1992, 1996) each have three Olympic medals in as many appearances. Durant (2012, 2016) has won two gold medals.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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