Errol "The Truth" Spence faces off against Lamont Peterson for the IBF welterweight title at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY on January 20th. The fight will appear on Showtime with the main card starting at 9 p.m. ET. The co-main event will feature Robert Easter Jr. who is defending his lightweight title against Javier Fortuna.
The challenger Lamont Peterson is a former two-time world champion and a veteran pro fighter with everything to lose. Peterson comes from humble beginnings and faced extreme poverty and homelessness at just 10 years old.
Peterson, who once had a promising career, is now beginning to show his age. However, he has had some success, winning his last two fights after his loss to Danny Garcia back in 2015.
Peterson is known as a slick boxer who is able to use his reach to control the distance and land effective punches from the outside. In interviews leading up the fight he sounds like a fighter ready for retirement, stating that he is going to have "fun" but also that he's coming to "compete." Although the odds are against him a win over Spence could open doors to a larger payday against any top level fighter in an absolutely stacked welterweight division.
Spence hungry for more
Spence, however, has rapidly ascended to the top of the welterweight division after turning pro in 2012.
As an amateur he won multiple national titles and competed in the 2012 London Olympic Games, finishing in the quarterfinals. The Texas native has a southpaw stance and is known for his vicious attacks to the body. He boasts an 86% knockout rating in his 22 professional fights.
Potential fights
This fight against Peterson can be seen as a tune-up for potentially bigger fights against Keith Thurman or Terence Crawford.
Spence has been looking to unify his IBF title against the lineal welterweight champion Keith Thurman since dethroning the British pugilist Kell Brook for his title in 2017. Thurman, however, has been plagued with injuries, most recently an elbow fracture that required surgery. Another potential match-up would be against light welterweight champion Terence Crawford.
Crawford formally stated his move from 140 to 147 after winning his last title defense over Julius Indongo. Either fight makes sense for Spence and he has the utmost confidence moving into this fight with Peterson that he will be the victor.
Whatever the outcome there is no question that a lot is on the line for both fighters. Spence stands to earn $3.5M, which will be the biggest purse of his career, and Peterson, a shot at redemption.
