Errol Spence says the doubt is justified. The former welterweight champion said he understands why fans question whether he can return at a high level after his loss to Terence Crawford and long stretch away from the ring. Instead of dismissing that view, Spence said he would feel the same way if he were watching from the outside.
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“I can see why people would say, ‘I don’t think he’s coming back,’” Spence said to Fight Hub TV during a recent media session. “I would think the same thing if I was on the outside looking in.”
If he were acting like the vintage “Big Fish,” it would come off as delusional. At 36, with the physical toll he’s taken, self-awareness is his only play.
The eye test since 2018 backs up fans’ point that Spence isn’t the same. While he technically beat Porter and Ugas, those weren’t the dominant, surgical performances we saw against Ocampo or Lamont Peterson. He looked more like a high guard, walk-em-down brawler who was willing to eat three shots to land two.
That style worked when he was younger and physically sturdier, but against Terence, the lack of head movement and slowed reflexes made him look like a stationary target.
“I’m more energy, more alive, mentally better, physically better,” Spence said. “But no knock to anybody. They should have reservations about me.”
Feeling “alive” while hitting pads or sparring 18-year-olds in Dallas is a world away from the chaotic, high-pressure environment of a world-class fight. As you noted, he hasn’t had to use his reflexes under fire in years. Mental clarity in a quiet gym doesn’t always translate to mental clarity when Tim is landing heavy shots in front of a loud Australian crowd.
The 2019 crash, the detached retina, and the punishment from the Crawford fight create a debt that the body eventually calls in.
You can have all the energy in the world during camp, but your chin and your ability to recover don’t care about your mindset. Once the first clean shot lands in July, we’ll see if that “energy” holds up or if it was just a byproduct of a long vacation.
He’s basically asking us to believe that the “Big Fish” was just dormant and needed a reset. But in boxing, three years away at 36 usually is a retirement that hasn’t been made official yet.
Last Updated on 2026/05/02 at 6:45 PM
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