Errol Spence Jr. Bio
Errol Spence Jr., born on March 3, 1990, is an American professional boxer widely recognized as one of the premier welterweights of his generation. Nicknamed “The Truth,” he has held the World Boxing Association (WBA) (Super), World Boxing Council (WBC), and International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight titles between 2017 and 2023, unifying the division in the process. A southpaw with a 183-centimeter reach, Spence built his reputation on body punching, pressure, and a high knockout ratio across his professional career. He has competed professionally since 2012 and has been based in Dallas, Texas, for most of his life.
Before turning professional, Spence was a decorated amateur, capturing three consecutive United States national welterweight championships from 2009 to 2011 and representing the United States at the 2012 London Olympics, where he reached the quarter-finals. His amateur pedigree translated quickly to the paid ranks, and by 2015 he was named ESPN.com Prospect of the Year. He is the father of two daughters and a son.
Early Life and Background
Errol Spence Jr. was born on March 3, 1990, on Long Island, New York, to Errol Spence Sr. and Debra Spence. He is of Jamaican descent through his father and African-American descent through his mother. The family later settled in Desoto, Texas, where he was raised and where he still maintains strong ties to the local community.
Growing up, Spence dreamed of playing for the Dallas Cowboys rather than stepping into a boxing ring. That changed during his sophomore year of high school, when his father brought him to a boxing gym to keep him out of trouble. After only two weeks of training, the young Spence won the Dallas Silver Gloves tournament, signaling the start of a new path.
Path to Boxing
Spence took up boxing seriously at the age of 15 and quickly accumulated accolades. In 2009, he won the United States National Golden Gloves in Salt Lake City, beginning a dominant amateur run. Between 2009 and 2011, he captured three consecutive United States national welterweight championships in Denver and Colorado Springs, establishing himself as the country’s top amateur welterweight.
He reached the quarter-finals at the 2011 World Championships, losing to Serik Sapiyev, before qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics. In London, he again bowed out in the quarter-finals, this time to Russia’s Andrey Zamkovoy. He left the amateur ranks with a record of 135–12 and turned professional shortly afterward, signing with advisor Al Haymon and beginning his march toward a world title.
Errol Spence Jr. Career
Early Career (2012–2014)
Spence made his professional debut on November 9, 2012, at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California, knocking out Jonathan Garcia in the third round. He followed that with a knockout of Richard Andrews on the Amir Khan–Carlos Molina undercard at the Sports Arena in Los Angeles. He fought eight times in 2013, winning all eight, with six of those victories coming inside the distance, and ended the year with a perfect 10–0 record, eight by stoppage.
In 2014, Spence made his Showtime television debut against Ronald Cruz at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, winning a shutout unanimous decision. He closed the year with a fifth-round technical knockout of Javier Castro at the MGM Grand, capping a steady developmental phase that built his record to 14–0 and positioned him for higher-profile opportunities in 2015.
Rise Through the Welterweight Division (2015–2016)
Spence’s breakout year began on April 11, 2015, when he stopped Samuel Vargas in the fourth round at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. He followed that with a third-round technical knockout of Phil Lo Greco on the Shawn Porter–Adrien Broner undercard at the MGM Grand. Later in 2015, he stopped Chris van Heerden in round eight and dominated Alejandro Barrera in a fifth-round technical knockout that served as an IBF welterweight title eliminator. At year’s end, he was named the 2015 ESPN.com Prospect of the Year.
In 2016, Spence continued his ascent by becoming the first man to stop former light welterweight titlist Chris Algieri, finishing him with a left hook in the seventh round at Barclays Center. He later dominated Leonard Bundu in an IBF final eliminator at the Ford Amphitheater in Tampa, with the bout drawing 4.8 million viewers on NBC. The performance set up his long-awaited shot at welterweight champion Kell Brook.
IBF Welterweight Champion (2017–2018)
On May 27, 2017, in front of 27,000 fans at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, England, Spence dropped and eventually stopped Kell Brook in round 11 to win the IBF welterweight title. Despite a competitive early stretch, Spence wore Brook down with combinations to the head and body, prompting Brook’s corner to wave off the bout after he took a knee citing vision issues. The victory gave Spence his first world title.
Spence’s reign grew from there. On January 20, 2018, he forced Lamont Peterson’s corner to stop the fight in round eight at Barclays Center, dominating with body work and pressure. He followed that with a first-round knockout of mandatory challenger Carlos Ocampo on June 16, 2018, at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, landing a hard left to the body that ended the bout at the three-minute mark. By year’s end, his record stood at 24–0 with 21 knockouts.
Unified Welterweight Champion (2019–2023)
On March 16, 2019, Spence dominated Mikey Garcia over twelve rounds at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Fox pay-per-view, winning every round on all three scorecards in a shutout decision. The performance generated a live gate of $5 million and drew over 360,000 pay-per-view buys. Later that year, on September 28, 2019, he added the WBC title by edging Shawn Porter via split decision in a unification bout at Staples Center in Los Angeles, scoring a knockdown in round eleven that helped secure scores of 116–111, 116–111, and 112–115.
After recovering from a serious single-vehicle accident in October 2019, Spence returned to defeat Danny Garcia by unanimous decision on December 5, 2020, at AT&T Stadium. On April 16, 2022, he captured the WBA (Super) welterweight title from Yordenis Ugás with a tenth-round technical knockout at AT&T Stadium, with the ringside physician advising the stoppage due to Ugás’ swollen right eye. His unified reign ended on July 29, 2023, when Terence Crawford stopped him in round nine at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with Crawford out-landing him 185–96 in total punches. The Crawford bout sold approximately 700,000 pay-per-view buys and generated more than $59 million in revenue.
Style and Strengths
Spence is a southpaw known for his physical strength, relentless body attack, and ability to break opponents down over the course of a fight. His 183-centimeter reach gives him a notable advantage at welterweight, allowing him to control range with the jab and darting left hand. Trained for many years by Derrick James in Dallas, Spence built his game around conditioning, mid-range pressure, and high-volume combinations, though his defense has at times been exploited by quick, precise boxers like Crawford.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the signature moments of his career, the first-round body-shot knockout of Carlos Ocampo in 2018 and the tenth-round stoppage of Yordenis Ugás in 2022 stand out as defining performances. The September 2019 split-decision unification win over Shawn Porter is widely regarded as a fight-of-the-year candidate. On the negative side, his October 10, 2019, single-vehicle Ferrari crash in Dallas, in which he was ejected and charged with driving while intoxicated, marked the most dramatic off-ring event of his career.
Errol Spence Jr. Career Wins
Across his professional career, Errol Spence Jr. has compiled a verified record of 28 wins and 1 loss in 29 total bouts, with 22 of his victories coming by way of knockout and 6 by decision. His knockout ratio ranks among the highest in the modern welterweight era, and he has defeated a series of champions and top contenders across multiple weight-class backgrounds.
Major Welterweight Title Wins
Spence captured the IBF welterweight title by stopping Kell Brook in round eleven on May 27, 2017, in Sheffield. He later added the WBC belt with a split-decision win over Shawn Porter on September 28, 2019, and the WBA (Super) welterweight title with a tenth-round technical knockout of Yordenis Ugás on April 16, 2022, becoming a unified champion across three of the four major sanctioning bodies.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his world title victories, Spence has registered notable wins against former titleholders and top contenders including Lamont Peterson, Danny Garcia, Mikey Garcia, Carlos Ocampo, Chris Algieri, Leonard Bundu, and Samuel Vargas. His amateur highlights included three consecutive United States national welterweight championships from 2009 to 2011 and a quarter-final appearance at the 2012 London Olympics.
| Division | Wins | Losses | Knockouts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welterweight | 28 | 1 | 22 |
Errol Spence Jr. Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Errol Spence Jr. is the son of Errol Spence Sr. and Debra Spence. His father, of Jamaican descent, introduced him to boxing during his sophomore year of high school as a way to keep him out of trouble, a decision that shaped the rest of his life. His mother is of African-American descent, and the family is rooted in both Long Island, New York, where he was born, and Desoto, Texas, where he grew up.
Personal Life
Spence has spent the majority of his life in Dallas, Texas, where he continues to reside and train. He is the father of two daughters and a son. Outside of boxing, he is a noted Dallas Cowboys fan, a connection that has been visible throughout his career, including at his 2018 home fight at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco.
2025 Season Outlook
Errol Spence Jr.’s 2025 calendar year has focused on rebuilding following his ninth-round technical knockout loss to Terence Crawford in July 2023 and his split from longtime trainer Derrick James. Earlier in 2025, Spence was in negotiations with World Boxing Council super-welterweight champion Sebastian Fundora, though the talks ended without an agreement. Talks have since turned toward a potential bout with former undisputed super-welterweight champion Jermell Charlo, with both camps publicly expressing interest in a matchup.
On September 10, 2025, multiple reports indicated that teams for Spence and Charlo were in discussions to fight in 2026, underscoring Spence’s intention to campaign at or near the super-welterweight limit. A confirmed return date and venue have not yet been announced as of the latest available reporting.
Looking ahead, Spence’s primary objective is to return to the ring at an elite level and position himself for another world title opportunity. With several high-profile names in and around the welterweight and super-welterweight divisions available, his comeback trail in 2026 is expected to feature at least one major bout as he works toward reclaiming championship status.
