Avila Perspective, Chap. 99: Errol Spence and More

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By David A. Avila

Let’s start Friday with a bang.

WBC welterweight titlist Errol Spence Jr. has agreed to face ex-champ Danny Garcia in defense of the title this coming November it was announced on Friday.

Spence was expected to take a tepid tune-up fight after suffering a near fatal car accident a year ago. Instead, the Texas welterweight opted to accept the challenge of ex-champion Garcia. They will meet on November 21, 2020 at a place to be designated, supposedly in Los Angeles. It will be shown on Fox pay-per-view.

Deservedly so.

This smacks of the 80s the way Spence decided to take on a heavy-duty challenger like Garcia. Why gamble on a tune-up fight against seemingly subpar competition? Anything can happen when you take tune-ups.

Back in 1984, Sugar Ray Leonard was at the top of the boxing world and was returning after eye surgery. He agreed to fight Kevin Howard and with most of the world expecting an easy win, Leonard was dropped in the fourth round. He rallied to defeat Howard by knockout, but it flagged an important lesson: there are no easy fights at the top.

Spence could easily lose to a top-20 contender when he returns. Might as well make it count by facing former super lightweight and welterweight world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia. During these tenuous days any champion should go-for-broke.

This is the best of the Premier Boxing Champions scheduled matchups for my money.

Showtime

A battle for the vacant WBO super bantamweight title features Angelo Leo (19-0, 9 KOs) against Tramaine Williams (19-0, 6 KOs) on Saturday Aug. 1, at the contained setting of the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn. Showtime will televise.

Much of the boxing world was awaiting the return of boxing on the Showtime network and this card marks the reboot for 2020.

Last Wednesday, the head of Showtime’s sports programming Stephen Espinoza unfurled its future dates that extend until the end of the year. The list of upcoming fights included WBC super middleweight titlist David Benavidez versus Roamer Alexis Angulo on Aug. 15; Erickson Lubin versus Terrel Gausha on September 19; and the Charlo brothers in a Showtime pay-per-view on September 26.

October brings another Showtime pay-per-view event with Gervonta Davis clashing with multi-division world champion Leo Santa Cruz. They will meet on October 24.

I truly can’t figure out how their battle will turn out. Davis looks big and strong at 130, but can he drop to 130 once again to defend the WBA super featherweight title? Losing weight can be more daunting than the fight. Santa Cruz will be moving up in weight and will be stronger than at 126 pounds. But will he be strong enough to match Davis?

It's a great fight.

Rumors were spreading around Southern California that Leo Santa Cruz and many in his gym were infected with the coronavirus. Apparently, if it were true, it has long passed.

Gyms all over the country are being hit with the coronavirus as evident with the rash of positive tests results that are happening at almost every major boxing card.

FOX in Los Angeles

Welterweight contenders Jamal James and Thomas Dulorme will be meeting in Los Angeles on September 8, for the interim WBA welterweight title. Also, Omar Juarez and Willie Shaw clash on the same card that takes place at the Microsoft Theater in LA Live. The boxing card will be televised by Fox at 5 p.m.

It's a very interesting card that would have intrigued a lot of fight fans in Los Angeles. But no fans or media will be allowed on the PBC boxing card.

Boxing without fans cannot exist unless it includes television or streaming.

DAZN

Speaking of streaming, those cards being streamed by DAZN have former super flyweight killer Sri Sor Rungvisai meeting Amnat Ruenroeng in a clash in Thailand on Saturday Aug. 1. Or is it YouTube.com?

Later, on Saturday Aug. 1, DAZN will be streaming Sam Eggington versus Ted Cheeseman in a super welterweight match taking place at Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn’s estate. They dubbed it Fight Camp in London, England.

Next Friday Aug. 7, DAZN has Terri Harper, the WBC super featherweight titlist, defending against Natasha Jonas in the main event at Fight Camp.

On Aug. 15, Cecilia Braekhus battles Jessica McCaskill in the USA for the undisputed welterweight world championship. They will meet in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma. Matchroom Boxing will promote the American fight card and it will be shown by DAZN.

ESPN

The return of Top Rank boxing finds it transferred to England where Jono Carroll Meets Maxi Hughes in a lightweight scrap on Wednesday Aug. 12. ESPN+ will show it.

On Saturday Aug. 15, Carl Frampton fights Vahram Vardunyan in a super featherweight clash in London, England. ESPN will show it too.

It seems boxing is back to fighting, even between the networks.

Start marking your calendars.

Last note

Hopefully, fans will be able to return to the arenas at some time later this year to watch these scheduled fight cards.

When November 21 comes around, perhaps a venue will be chosen for the Errol Spence Jr. and Danny Garcia welterweight showdown. It’s a matchup between the elite and they don’t happen that often.

Check out more boxing news on video at The Boxing Channel
 
For reasons that I might, and also some reasons that I willnot, get into; the layoff will work for Spence and he will become a dominant force in the welterweight division again.


Furthermore, a big marquee fight between him and Bud will be set up.


There’s too much interest/cash in it (for it) to not happen.



Cheers,

Storm.

:) :) :)




PS: here is a massively hooj choon . . . . .
 
Hmmm. I must disagree. I think Garcia has a punchers chance against a post-Ferrari Spence. It will be an interesting fray.
 
I never said Garcia would win/lose to Spence in my previous post.

But now it's raised . . . .

I don't think Danny wins unless he gets Spence when he has not returned to previous form.



If Spence is in previous form (or better) then Garcia struggles to a points loss.



As far as Pacquaio is concerned . . . . . .

How is a guy that (several years ago when he was juiced and younger) didn’t stop Chris Algieri (spelling?) going to beat a bigger/taller guy that easily did?



Remember guys . . . .

Some of Pacquaio’s main attributes that underpin his success are experience, intensity, and speed.

Particularly the last 2 points; as Pacquaio has not changed his style despite his vast/superior experience.



Championship level critique; Pacquaio is fundamentally unsound, he’s without an active defence, he rarely brings his hands back to his face after punching, his game-plan (whether he knows it or not) relies on him not taking body shots, and he’s almost completely reliant upon velocity/misdirection to both, successfully attack and detract from his technical defects.

Furthermore, I can't remember when Pacquaio last fought a (similarly sized and) highly skilled southpaw like Spence at championship level when Pacquaio was in his prime; let alone (with a big lefty like Errol and) recently.



As such, given the height and other advantages Spence has (and that Pacquaio will not have a huge speed advantage over Errol) there will probably be even bigger holes in Manny’s defence than is normally the case.



Spence has an Olympic pedigree, fast hands, good chin, he can fight with intensity, he hits harder than Pacquaio, and he walks; (i) around as a light heavyweight; and (ii) into his fights practically as (at least) a middleweight.

That’s a big, tall, long, strong, and skilled lefty at welterweight; that only has to punch down to hit Pacquaio.



Save for the Olympic pedigree, southpaw stance, and Errol's fast hands; the last time Pacquaio fought anyone remotely resembling those (Spence’s) stats was when he fought Margarito.

However, in that fight Pacquaio was so juiced/jacked that he was bouncing off the wall in the dressing room even before the fight and it is unclear whether Antonio was made to sweat down to a catchweight even though they fought for the light middleweight title.



If Spence fights Pacquaio (or anyone) Haymon will make sure Spence is not disadvantaged by catchweights, opponents excessively doping, and/or the like.

So, any Pacquaio V Spence fight will be like Pacquaio Vs a better version of Clottey; as Spence can do all Joshua can do - plus more.

And, whilst Pacquaio outpointed Clottey, he clearly struggled to meaningfully dominate that fight and/or deter the stronger (but not {too much} longer) Joshua.



Pacquaio V Spence is a big fight.

As is Crawford V Pac/Spence.

But, I don't think Pacquaio beats Errol unless he gets Spence when Spence has not returned to previous form.



If Spence is in Chris Algieri form (or better) then Pacquaio struggles to a points loss, or (at best a) draw; against Spence.



I don't highly rate Pacquaio’s wins over Matthysse and/or Thurman either.

As such, Ugas, Collazo, Broner, Kahn, or Lopez are all good tune up and/or preliminary fights for any of the aforementioned guys.




Cheers,

Storm.

:) :) :)
 
I agree on your Spence-Pac analysis, but re Garcia, he has that one punch chance to hurt Spence and a Post-Ferrari dazed Spence might not react like a pre-Ferrari Spence. Garcia has a good chance.
 
KB . . .

Yes, Garcia has a chance.

Garcia has, not only good power/technique - but also a good sense of pace.



He reads an opponent/fight pretty good.

Furthermore, as stated in my above/earlier post, Danny’s chances (of winning) become greater if Spence has not fully recovered and/or returned to the shape he was in when he fought Chris Alieri.



That said . . .

If Spence has fully recovered and returned to the shape he was in when he fought Chris Alieri, Garcia will then get roasted and hung out to dry.




Cheers,

Storm.

:) :) :)
 
Charlo V Derevyanchenko (and Tank V LSC) will be interesting.

Can’t see Derevyanchenko being too deterred by most of the usual tactics that might otherwise unsettle the typical Charlo opponent.



It's a good test to see how well Charlo can adapt to a competent/experienced opponent that's as tough AF.



Cheers,

Storm.

:) :) :)
 
KB,


Don’t sleep on Charlo V Derevyanchenko.


Aside from the fact that Serhiy will be determined and perhaps represents the biggest risk that either of the Charlo twins have been matched with so far, the other salient points are;
.
  • Korobov beat Derevyanchenko in the 2007 Amateur championships when Korobov was in much better form than when he lost to Jermall as a professional in 2018.
.
  • Derevyanchenko still medaled (bronze I think) in the 2007 Amateur championships when Korobov beat him.
.
  • Charlo’s (Jermall) 2018 Pro win over Korobov was a close fight (unanimous decision where, at times, Charlo struggled with Matvey) whereby Matvey Korobov was a late notice substitute for Monroe whom was Charlo’s original opponent that failed a doping test.
.
  • There has been a lot of talk about Triple supposedly not wanting to fight the Charlo brothers and as such since Derevyanchenko is a close approximation (on the scorecards) to Triple we will get to see what a Charlo V Triple fight might score like.
.
  • If Derevyanchenko wins (the WBC middleweight title) then it might set up another mega fight between Serhiy and Triple and/or Serhiy and Canelo for the (Mexican) WBC title.
.
  • If another mega fight between Serhiy and Triple and/or Serhiy and Canelo take place (and Triple and Canelo win) as above-mentioned, then that might set up another mega-third-fight between Triple and Canelo; particularly if Triple wins the aforementioned (Mexican) WBC title.
.




Cheers,

Storm.

:) :) :)
 
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