The debate over Errol Spence Jr. and his loss to Terence Crawford reared its head again after fans once again questioned whether Spence was the same fighter after his serious car accident in 2019. While many want to credit Crawford’s brilliance alone, others point to signs in Spence’s two comeback wins that suggest he was no longer at his peak before they ever fought.
Spence survived a violent rollover crash in October 2019 when his Ferrari flipped multiple times in Dallas, and he was ejected from the vehicle. He later returned to the ring and defeated Danny Garcia in 2020 before stopping Yordenis Ugas in a unification bout in 2022.
Those victories are often used as proof that the crash had no lasting effects. But some fans argue the performances themselves told a different story.
Against Danny Garcia, Spence won clearly but absorbed more clean left hooks and right hands than expected from a fighter once known for controlling opponents with pressure, timing and sharp defense. Garcia had moments of landing counters that earlier opponents often struggled to find.
Spence won 116,112 or 117,111 on most cards, but he was quiet. The fluid upper body movement was replaced by a high guard that repeatedly cracked Garcia with left hooks. He was blocking punches with his face.
The Ugas battle raised more questions. Ugas landed a number of clean shots and had visible success during stretches of the fight. Spence eventually overpowered him and forced the stoppage, but he looked more findable than the version that dominated welterweights before the crash.
Spence was nearly knocked to his feet in round six after losing his mouthpiece. While he showed incredible heart to come back and break Ugas’ orbital bone, the invincible aura was gone. He was hit by shots that an excellent Spence would have seen coming.
The Garcia and Ugas wins were miracles in hindsight. They gave fans the illusion that Spence was back to 100%, but they were actually the last breath of an elite prime. By the time he got to Crawford in July 2023, the cumulative toll of the accident, the eye surgery and the inactivity had left him a stationary target for the best counter puncher in the sport.
Click here to subscribe to our FREE newsletter
Related Boxing News:
Last updated on 2026/04/19 at 12:36
