Errol Spence to Return in April Against Keith Thurman

It looks like Errol "The Truth" Spence may be back in the ring as soon as April. Spence, of DeSoto, holds three-quarters of the world titles at 147 pounds. He was scheduled to fight WBO welterweight Champ Terence Crawford in the fourth quarter of 2022 before that fell through over contractual disputes on Crawford's side.

Multiple sources have reported that the champ from North Texas will take on former unified welterweight champ Keith "One Time" Thurman. The pair have been linked together for years when both held world titles in 2017. Due to injuries, accidents, and perhaps ducking on Thurman's part, the two never squared off to determine dominance in the welterweight division.

It's unclear at the moment, as to why, but the fight is expected to take place at the 154-pound limit. Opposed to 147, where Spence holds his titles. Meaning it will be a non-title fight, and the combatants will have to wear 10-oz gloves instead of 8-oz gloves which are used for up to 147 pounds. A small but important change for each man.

WBA President Gilberto Mendoza said Spence will have 60 days from the fight with Terence Crawford for undisputed supremacy. Or he must defend his 147-pound title against the winner of the postponed WBA "regular" title fight between Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Eimantas Stanionis.

Spence, 32, could also decide to fight at 154 moving forward. It is unclear if the move up to 154 for the Thurman fight has anything to do with Spence being unable to make the welterweight limit. Spence is considered a massive welterweight and has flirted with the idea of moving up for a few years now.

Inactivity has stifled both fighters and Spence will have been out of the ring for a year when he squares off with Thurman. He last fought in April at AT&T Stadium and stopped Yordenis Ugas for his WBA Belt. Thurman has fought just three times in six years and ended a nearly three-year layoff when he stopped Mario Barrios of San Antonio last February. So it will be another 14 months outside the ring for "One Time".

Spence Vs Thurman Possible for December 17th

DeSoto's favorite son Errol Spence Jr will reportedly defend his WBC/WBA/IBF Welterweight titles against Keith "One Time " Thurman.  Errol Spence tweeted on Sunday, "announcement coming soon" that news appears to be a Thurman fight. The possibility of a battle for undisputed welterweight supremacy with WBO champ Terence Crawford hit a snag, when allegedly PBC, would not open the books and disclose the expenses for the fight.

Crawford had agreed to a 35% split with no guaranteed purse. The percentage was to come off the net, not the gross revenue, so every dollar spent would be a direct hit to the fighter's end check. With that fight now off, Crawford went on to agree to terms to a fight with David Avanesyan on December 10th. That left Spence without a fight, and the rumors began circulating. 

It appears, and the fight should be formalized, and announced later this week, that the north Texan will fight Keith Thurman on December 17th with a location to be confirmed, possibly AT&T Stadium! The two have been linked for years. Going all the way back to 2017 when Spence won the IBF title, and Thurman held the WBA/WBC belts, which now are all held by Spence. Thurman has fought just three times since the end of 2017. Going 2-1 with a split decision loss to Manny Pacquiao and a win in his most recent fight with San Antonio's former 140-pound world champ Mario Barrios back in February. Thurman won a wide but competitive decision of the Alamo City native. It's long been rumored and talked about in boxing circles that Thurman ducked the DeSoto native.

Spence last fought in April and scored a 10th-round TKO of Yordenis Ugas to pick up the WBA belt, his third belt in the weight class.

San Antonio's Favorite Son Set To Return At New Weight

San Antonio loves a champion and when "El Azteca" Mario Barrios rallied to score a 12th round knockdown of Batyr Akhmedov to capture the WBA Jr Welterweight crown, becoming San Antonio's first world boxing champion in a quarter-century.  He was treated to a hero's welcome. He was honored by Southwest High school where he graduated from. He was also honored by the cities other champions the San Antonio Spurs. He made the first defense of his belt back in his hometown and got a massive applaud when he stopped fellow Texan Ryan Karl in October of last year. When he came up short for the first time in his career against Tank Davis in what was a fight of the year type brawl, Barrios was again treated as a hero when he returned home. San Antonio has continued to celebrate and support El Azteca and he is set to embark on the biggest fight of his career. He will step in with former unified welterweight kingpin, Keith "One Time" Thurman. Thurman held welterweight world titles from 2014-2019 and was working on putting together a hall of fame resume when he suffered his first career loss. A split decision loss to the legendary Manny Pacquiao in July of 2019. Thurman has been inactive since. 

That will change, and Thurman will end the 30-month hiatus on January 29th when stepping back in the ring with El Azteca.  Thurman has long been linked to a fight with another Texan, Errol Spence Jr, for many years. That fight never came to fruition and Thurman will try and mess with another Texan in Barrios in a fight that will likely lead to the winners getting that Spence fight later in 2022.  It's a big test and challenge for the highly inactive Thurman, it's no tune-up fighting a former world champion, showing that he wants to get right back into the mix and challenge for a world title this year. For the San Antonian, it's a huge test, Thurman marks the best fighter Barrios has ever been in with, and it's a monumental step up as well as an incredible display of courage and confidence to step into the ring with an all-time great 147-pounder like Thurman. Barrios clearly wants to become a two-division world champ and now has a clear path to doing so by 2022.