History of Errol Spence Jr. in Timeline
"Errol Spence Jr. is a highly accomplished American professional boxer known for his dominance in the welterweight division. He has held the unified WBA, WBC, and IBF titles, showcasing his exceptional skills and power. Before turning professional, Spence had an impressive amateur career, securing three consecutive US national championships and representing the US at the 2012 Olympics. His talent and potential were recognized early on, earning him the ESPN Prospect of the Year award in 2015."
2009: U.S. National Golden Gloves Champion
Errol Spence Jr. won the U.S. National Golden Gloves in 2009.
2011: Three-Time National Amateur Welterweight Champion
Errol Spence Jr. won three consecutive national amateur welterweight championships from 2009 to 2011.
November 2012: Professional Debut
Errol Spence Jr. made his professional debut at 22 years old on November 9, 2012, at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California. He won by knockout in the 3rd round against Jonathan Garcia.
December 2012: Knockout Victory
Errol Spence Jr. knocked out Richard Andrews in December 2012 at the Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California. This fight was part of the undercard for Amir Khan's comeback fight.
2012: Olympic Quarterfinals and Turning Pro
Errol Spence Jr. lost in the quarterfinals of the 2012 London Olympics and turned professional shortly after.
2012: Olympics Quarterfinals
Errol Spence Jr. represented the U.S. in the welterweight division at the 2012 Olympics, reaching the quarterfinals.
2013: Eight Fights, Eight Victories
Errol Spence Jr. fought eight times in 2013, winning all of his fights, with six of those victories coming by way of knockout.
2014: Spence's Knockout Streak
By 2014, Errol Spence Jr. had developed a streak of 11 consecutive knockout victories.
April 2015: TKO Victory over Samuel Vargas
On April 11, 2015, Errol Spence Jr. defeated Samuel Vargas by TKO in Round 4 of 10 in a Premier Boxing Champions fight card at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
October 2015: TKO Victory and IBF Eliminator
In October 2015, Errol Spence Jr. defeated Alejandro Barrera via 5th-round TKO. This victory earned him the number 2 spot in the IBF welterweight contender rankings.
2015: ESPN.com Prospect of the Year
Errol Spence Jr. was named ESPN.com's prospect of the year in 2015.
March 2016: Victory over Chris Algieri
It was announced in March 2016 that Errol Spence Jr. would be fighting former light welterweight titlist Chris Algieri. Spence Jr. won the fight by knockout.
May 2016: Denial of Fight Refusal
In May 2016, Errol Spence Jr. denied claims that his team turned down a fight against Kell Brook.
January 2017: Negotiations for IBF Title Fight
Negotiations began in January 2017 for a potential fight between Errol Spence Jr. and Kell Brook for the IBF welterweight title.
February 2017: Peterson's Last Fight Before Spence Bout
Lamont Peterson's last fight before his bout against Errol Spence Jr. took place in February 2017 when he defeated David Avanesyan.
May 2017: Negotiations and Fight Confirmation
Throughout May 2017, negotiations for the fight between Errol Spence Jr. and Kell Brook continued. A deal was eventually reached, and the fight was officially announced.
May 27, 2017: Fight Announcement and Victory over Kell Brook
On May 27, 2017, Errol Spence Jr. fought Kell Brook in Sheffield. Spence Jr. won the fight.
October 2017: Spence vs. Peterson Negotiations
In October 2017, Lamont Peterson vacated his WBA (Regular) title to challenge Errol Spence Jr. for his IBF title. Negotiations for the fight took place throughout October, with a purse of $3.5 million promised to Spence.
2017: Unified Welterweight Champion
Errol Spence Jr. became the unified welterweight champion in 2017.
January 20, 2018: Spence vs. Peterson
On January 20, 2018, Errol Spence Jr. was scheduled to fight Lamont Peterson at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
January 23, 2018: IBF Orders Spence to Defend Against Ocampo
On January 23, 2018, the IBF ordered Errol Spence Jr. to make a mandatory defense of his title against unbeaten prospect Carlos Ocampo.
October 25, 2018: Spence vs. Garcia Negotiations Begin
On October 25, 2018, negotiations for a fight between Errol Spence Jr. and Mikey Garcia began, with a potential date in February 2019.
February 2019: Potential Date for Spence vs. Garcia
The fight between Errol Spence Jr. and Mikey Garcia was initially planned for February 2019.
March 16, 2019: Spence vs. Garcia Officially Announced
On March 16, 2019, the welterweight fight between Errol Spence Jr. and Mikey Garcia was officially announced, to be held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
September 28, 2019: Spence vs. Porter Unification Bout
On September 28, 2019, Errol Spence Jr. fought Shawn Porter in a welterweight unification bout, winning by split decision after knocking down Porter in the eleventh round.
October 10, 2019: Spence Injured in Car Accident
On October 10, 2019, Errol Spence Jr. was involved in a single-vehicle accident in Dallas, Texas. He was ejected from his Ferrari due to not wearing a seatbelt while driving at high speed. Spence sustained facial lacerations but no broken bones and was later charged with a DWI.
October 2019: Spence's Car Accident
In October 2019, Errol Spence Jr. was involved in a car accident.
December 5, 2020: Spence vs. Garcia
On December 5, 2020, Errol Spence Jr. fought Danny Garcia at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Spence won by unanimous decision and retained his IBF and WBC welterweight titles.
May 21, 2021: Spence vs. Pacquiao Announced
On May 21, 2021, a fight between Errol Spence Jr. and Manny Pacquiao was announced, scheduled for August 21 in Las Vegas.
October 20, 2021: WBA Denies Ugás' Petition
On October 20, 2021, Yordenis Ugás' petition to bypass a mandatory defense against Eimantas Stanionis to face Errol Spence Jr. was denied by the WBA.
December 19, 2021: Spence vs. Ugás Approved
On December 19, 2021, the WBA approved the unification bout between Errol Spence Jr. and Yordenis Ugás after Eimantas Stanionis agreed to step aside.
February 8, 2022: Spence vs. Ugás Officially Announced
On February 8, 2022, the unification bout between Errol Spence Jr. and Yordenis Ugás was officially announced, scheduled for April 16 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
May 2022: High Rankings
As of May 2022, Errol Spence Jr. was ranked as one of the world's best active boxers by various organizations.
July 29, 2023: Spence Loses to Crawford via TKO
Errol Spence Jr. lost to Terence Crawford on July 29, 2023, by a ninth-round technical knockout.
2023: End of Unified Championship Reign
Errol Spence Jr.'s reign as unified welterweight champion ended in 2023.
