Robert Garcia Questions Errol Spence Jr Before Tim Tszyu Fight

Garcia doubts whether Spence still resembles the fighter fans remember after years away from the ring and the Terence Crawford loss

Robert Garcia says he is not convinced the old version of Errol Spence Jr still exists ahead of Spence’s comeback fight against Tim Tszyu on July 25. Garcia questioned why Spence would return from a long layoff straight into a dangerous fight without taking a tune-up first.

Spence returns on July 25 against Tszyu in Australia in a 158-pound catchweight fight. Both former champions are trying to rebuild after damaging losses over the last two years, but Spence enters with far more uncertainty because of the inactivity following his stoppage loss to Terence Crawford in 2023.

Tszyu has at least stayed active since his setbacks against Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev. Spence has not fought since Crawford stopped him in the ninth round of their undisputed welterweight championship fight.

“Errol Spence was a f***ing badass pound-for-pound one of the best fighters,” said trainer Robert Garcia to ESNEWS.

“When he fought Crawford, you can tell that was not the Errol Spence we were used to seeing. He didn’t look good at all.

“Three years later, he wants to come back to boxing, and he’s not going to start off with a tune-up fight. I think he doesn’t know what he’s got left and, if he does a tune-up, he might get his ass kicked.”

Robert questioned whether Spence himself even knows how much he still has left after such a long layoff.

“That’s probably why he made the decision to go straight into the Tim Tszyu fight. If he’s fresh and he’s good, then he can win,” said Robert.

Spence was viewed by many fans as one of boxing’s best fighters during his welterweight title run between 2019 and 2022, when he defeated Shawn Porter and Yordenis Ugas in unification fights. The Crawford loss changed the direction of his career quickly, and there is still uncertainty over how much remains at age 36.

Tszyu also enters under pressure despite winning his last two fights. Another loss would leave him in a difficult spot after back-to-back defeats at world level before his recent rebound.

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