Errol Spence Jr. might be boxing’s most complete fighter today. Blessed with power, precision, and grace, the undefeated welterweight has shown us that he can win by outboxing a gifted technical fighter such as then-undefeated Mikey Garcia or go toe-to-toe with a warrior such as Kell Brook.
TALE OF THE TAPE | Vasily Lomachencko
Outside of the ring, the DeSoto, Texas native is a mild-mannered family man with a squeaky-clean image. The juxtaposition between a soft-spoken father of two and welterweight’s resident boogeyman makes Errol Spence Jr. one of boxing’s most intriguing characters. In our latest Tale of the Tape series, when it comes to Spence, “The Truth” can be stranger than fiction.
He stiff-armed the gridiron for a boxing ring
For once, Superbowl MVP Von Miller wasn’t the hardest hitter on the field. While at DeSoto High in Texas, the Denver Broncos’ star linebacker lined up against Spence, who played running back for DeSoto’s bitter rival, Cedar Hill. “I played cornerback and running back,” Spence reminisced to 247 Sports. “Then in football, I didn’t get faster or taller. And I got a chance to become an Olympic boxer, so I stuck with boxing.”
He likes to hoop it up on NBA 2k
Spence is built like a “Fight Night” character with maxed out stats, so it’s only fitting that he loves video games. While he’s the same height as Isaiah Thomas (5’9”), Spence does his hooping on the console as an avid “NBA 2K” player. Recently, he’s had to put down the controller with the birth of his daughters, Ivy and Violet.
He wears his motto around his neck
According to TMZ, the IBF welterweight champion enlisted world-famous jeweler “Iceman Nick” to make him a custom necklace to match his belt. The massive, diamond-encrusted $400k chain features Spence’s signature slogan “man down.”
The “Lone Star” was born in New York
Spence speaks with a Southern twang, but the pride of DeSoto, Texas was actually born in New York. Spence’s family moved to Texas when he was two, but he still has lots of family in Long Island. “I got strong connections here,” Spence told RingTV.com of his birthplace. “My mom was born in New York. Both my grandmas (were born in New York). My dad came here from Jamaica to New York and he has nine brothers and sisters, so I have a lot of family in New York.”
He might be a wee-a-boo
While it’s unlikely that Spence will be “Naruto-running” in his ring walk anytime soon, “The Truth” is an anime fan. In particular, he’s a massive “Dragon Ball Z” fan, citing Goku as one of his role models and is open to Twitter debates about his favorite series.
PBC’s prizefighter loves his PB&J
Almost every day is “Peanut Butter Jelly Time” for Spence, who specifically microwaves his peanut butter for 15 seconds for added texture. He’s not alone, ESPN reported that the sandwich has become a “secret addiction” for NBA players.
