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LAS VEGAS – Errol Spence Jr. revealed Saturday night that injuries he suffered in his most recent car accident will delay his return to the ring.
While the injuries Spence sustained in a head-on collision December 10 aren’t nearly as serious as the damage he endured in a one-car crash in October 2019, the unbeaten IBF/WBA/WBC welterweight champion admitted during an interview with Showtime’s Brian Custer that he was hurt badly enough to need time off from training. Spence told Custer he had expected to announce his next fight, presumably against rival Keith Thurman, a few days after his SUV was hit head on in the Dallas area.
“I was gonna have a fight announcement probably like three, four days after my accident,” Spence said. “But, you know, stuff started hurtin’ and things like that, so we kinda pushed it back and [will] wait on an announcement.”
Custer conducted the interview between bouts during Showtime’s telecast from The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Frank Martin, the undefeated lightweight contender Spence’s company promotes, dominated previously unbeaten contender Michel Rivera in the main event and won a 12-round unanimous decision.
The 32-year-old Spence’s injuries are significant enough that Spence probably won’t fight until at least two months later than expected. Spence (28-0, 22 KOs), who most recently defeated Yordenis Ugas by 10th-round technical knockout April 16, expected prior to the accident to fight sometime in February.
“Probably like around May or June – May or June, April, May or June,” said Spence, who didn’t give specific details about his injuries. “I’ve just gotta, you know, talk to my team, you know. Hopefully, you know, I’ll recover a hundred percent. I’m sure I’ll recover a hundred percent because I’ve been in worse accidents. I’ve been in worse accidents. But, you know, talk to my team, you know, and hopefully come up with a day that suits both of us and make it happen.”
Spence suffered cuts and scrapes to his face and body as well as dental damage when his Ferrari flipped multiple times in downtown Dallas three years ago. Spence was ejected from his car during that accident, but he managed to resume his career and convincingly out-pointed former two-division champion Danny Garcia when the 2012 U.S. Olympian returned to the ring in December 2020 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Six months ago, Spence, of DeSoto, Texas, pled guilty to driving while intoxicated during the aforementioned accident. His driver’s license was suspended and he was sentenced to three days in jail, but Spence was given credit for time served.
Spence’s career was interrupted again in August 2021, when he was forced to withdraw from a pay-per-view showdown with Manny Pacquiao due to a torn left retina. Spence pulled out of the Pacquiao fight only 11 days before it was scheduled to take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Though thankful for emerging from a second car accident relatively unscathed, Spence couldn’t help but question his luck during his interview with Custer.
“I can’t win for losing,” Spence said. “But, I mean, I’m doing great, man. You know, very unfortunate that a 14-year-old kid, you know, steal his parents’ car and then, out of all people that’s, you know, on the road, he run into me. So, you know, it’s very unfortunate. You know, but I survived, you know, and I’m doing all right, man. You know, a couple bruises and things like that.”
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.