Spence’s Tszyu defeat exposes the cost of skipping a tune-up
Kenny Porter says Errol Spence Jr. made the right call to retire, but believes his direct return against Tim Tszyu was too severe.
Errol Spence Jr.’s comeback ended in defeat against Tim Tszyu after he returned from years away without taking a preparatory bout. Kenny Porter believes Spence is now making the right decision by walking away, but says the former unified welterweight champion would have benefited from testing himself first.
Porter’s view is that the problem was not Spence’s decision to fight again. Spence had reasons to return after serious incidents affected the later stages of his career, and his competitive character made one more fight understandable. The bigger risk was choosing Tszyu as his first opponent back.
The bout required Spence to answer several difficult questions at once. He had to rediscover his timing, reactions, conditioning and ability to absorb punches after a long period without competition. He also moved into a heavier division, creating further uncertainty about how his speed, power and strength would carry over.
A carefully chosen opponent at 154 or 160 pounds could have provided a clearer assessment of what remained in Spence’s game. Instead, he faced a former junior middleweight champion known for aggression, physical strength and damaging punches. Tszyu may have lost some sharpness, but he remained an opponent capable of punishing any decline.
Porter believes that decision left Spence with little room to rebuild. A tune-up could have allowed him to regain his rhythm before considering a more demanding contest. By skipping that step, Spence turned his return into an immediate examination against a dangerous, active fighter.
The defeat should not diminish Spence’s career, in Porter’s assessment. Their relationship goes back to the amateur ranks, including a 2011 trip to Russia when Porter was his head coach and their plane made an emergency landing in a field after its landing gear froze. After the difficult experiences Spence has endured inside and outside the ring, Porter believes he has nothing left to prove and can leave the sport without shame.
Source: Boxing News 24
