Errol Spence Jr. warms up during a work out at Gleason's Gym in 2018. AP See more of our coverage in your search results.
Add The New York Post on Google Errol Spence Jr. makes his long awaited return to the ring after a three-year layoff to face Tim Tszyu Saturday in Australia.
Spence (28-1, 22 KOs) suffered the first loss of his career in devastating fashion the last time he was in the ring. Three years ago, in the biggest fight of his life against Terence Crawford, Spence was bludgeoned for seven rounds and lost by TKO.
Facing Tszyu (27-3, 18 KOs) on his home turf just outside of Sydney is an incredible challenge for Spence to take on in his first fight back.
Along with the long layoff, other variables are at play for Spence that could prove significant. The former welterweight champion switched trainers after falling out with his longtime coach.
Spence has also only fought outside of the United States twice in his career: once in Canada and once in the United Kingdom. On the other side of the matchup, Tszyu will be comfortable fighting in front of his home fans and should have the crowd on his side.
While those factors may impact Spence, he’s still the favorite for good reason. Before his loss to Crawford, Spence was the man to beat in the welterweight division. He consistently put pressure on his opponents and had the power to finish fights.
The fact that Spence is a southpaw gives him an edge in this fight. The last time Tszyu lost he faced another southpaw, Sebastian Fundora, who pressured Tszyu and kept him off balance throughout the fight. Spence has the ability to do the same, and he should be healthy after being inactive for so long.
Errol Spence Jr. drops his opponent during a fight in 2018. AP Spence said this could be his last fight win or lose and his motivation is to ensure he doesn’t end his career with the bad taste of his loss to Crawford in his mouth.
Only Spence knows if he will actually hang up the gloves, but I think he’ll emerge victorious down under.
The play: Spence moneyline (-140, DraftKings)
Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He’s a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and combat sports. He spends his weeknights in the winter looking for edges on plus-money NBA player props.
