Roy Jones Jr. To ‘Work’ With Errol Spence

Roy Jones Jr. has said he will meet Errol Spence Jr. in Dallas, Texas, with a view to helping him make a return to boxing.

Spence has not boxed in over two years since getting knocked out by Terence Crawford, as he missed out on becoming the Undisputed Welterweight Champion. He was dropped three times in a conclusive defeat, as he suffered his first loss. Spence then underwent cataract surgery on his right eye. Despite being linked with a fight against Sebastian Fundora, Spence’s future is unclear.

Spence split from his long-time trainer Derrick James, although Spence has been seen training. He has yet to announce his retirement, as he was ringside for Vergil Ortiz’s win over Erickson Lubin last weekend. Ortiz has said he would like to fight Spence first. However, Jones said he needs to evaluate “where he’s at” before committing his time to Spence. If Spence were to jump into a fight against the undefeated Ortiz Jr. next, he must be fully ready. He does not need the financial incentive having reportedly earned $25 million for the Crawford fight. 

Jones Reacts

“A lot of people do really love Errol Spence. I’m supposed to go work with him tomorrow. I’m going to go to Dallas to work with him a little bit. I’ll see where he’s at and where he can get back to. I do want to see him get back on his horse and ride again. Those fans at the fight last weekend [Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas], they want to see him get back on the horse and ride again. So, if I can help him out, I’ll see what I can do. I don’t have to be his trainer.

“I just want to help him get going and see what I can do. If he likes it, cool. Just get back up. We all go through these things. The main thing is, can you get up from it? You’re not judged by how you go down. It’s by how you get up. All of us want to see him get back up. If he has just one more fight for the fun of it, say, ‘I’m just going to go out on my shield, I’m going to go out right.’ I’m cool with that, too. I’m going to go out tomorrow and give him a couple of days of work,” Jones said

Implications

The partnership could be highly beneficial. Jones brings a necessary psychological boost and a fresh voice following Spence’s long-standing relationship with Derrick James. If Jones can help Spence address the fundamental defensive and footwork issues that Crawford exploited, and if he can restore the aggressive, high-pressure style that made Spence a unified champion, the partnership could reignite Spence’s career.

The biggest downside is the danger of a second, consecutive knockout loss, which could permanently derail his legacy and potentially his health. Jones’s style, which relies heavily on reflexes and explosive speed, is vastly different from Spence’s methodical pressure fighting. If Jones attempts a radical overhaul of Spence’s technique rather than subtle improvements, it could backfire.