Errol Spence Jr – “I Was Heading Down That Path To Destruction”
In the early morning hours of October 10, 2019, IBF/WBC world Welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr (26-0, 21 KOs) was involved in a horrific automobile accident. His Ferrari was totaled and the 30-year-old was hurled from his vehicle. Miraculously, Spence survived the accident without any serious or life-threatening injuries.
Now given a clean bill of health, the unified welterweight champ talked about the accident during an appearance on the ALL THE SMOKE podcast with co-host Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. Asked what he learned the most from his car accident, Spence’s response was honest and humbling.
“Don’t take anything for granted. I was taking a lot of stuff for granted. Around that time I was taking a lot for granted. I think I was heading that way, I was heading down that path to destruction.
I was taking things for granted, and it was showing. Even in the Shawn Porter fight, it showed I was slacking off. The Mikey Garcia fight. Even though I beat him and won every round, the power wasn’t there. I should’ve finished him off. The power wasn’t there because I was trying so hard to make weight.
That car accident was an eye-opener for me. Yo, you’re trippin’, you need to get back on your stuff. You say you do it for your family, you say you want to be great, you say you want to be a legend, get back on your A-game.”
GAINING PERSPECTIVE
Before his fights against Garcia and Porter, Spence detailed that his weight ballooned up to 185-190 pounds. The day of the weigh-in for his win over Garcia, the champ said he was in a sauna for over an hour just to make the 147-pound weight limit.
Knowing he’s lucky to be alive, the DeSoto, Texas native views what happened as a blessing in disguise. Feeling he was riding such a wave following wins over Mikey Garcia and Porter, he was living high on the hog. The accident knocked him down a peg, forcing him to get his priorities in order.
Spence says he’s 100 percent healthy and itching to get back in the ring. Before boxing was grounded due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he was looking to fight again in August. Now he’s looking to make his return to the ring this Fall, either in October or November.
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
