The Errol Spence 3 year layoff from a boxing ring will soon enough be a brutal reality check for him. Learn more below.
Spence was an accomplished fighter in his day as a welterweight world champion but that was a long time ago now.
Time waits for no man. Boxing has moved on and the sport is returning to the masses and you have to give Spence some credit for going straight back into the deep end next up against Tim Tszyu in a catchweight fight of 158 pounds.
But those waters will drown him if he is not prepared.
Here’s the facts on where he’s really at.
Got it — here’s the same chart with the end points switched to bullets.
Errol Spence Jr – 3-Year Layoff Reality Check
| Category | Fact |
|---|---|
| Last Fight Date | July 29, 2023 – Lost TKO9 to Terence Crawford |
| Comeback Date | July 25/26, 2026 vs Tim Tszyu in Australia |
| Time Out of Ring | ∼3 years, 0 days |
| Age at Return | 36 years old |
| Record Entering Fight | 28-1, 22 KOs |
| Catchweight | 158 lbs – first fight above 154 lbs |
| Titles Lost in Last Fight | WBC, WBA, IBF Welterweight titles |
| Injuries/Surgeries Since Last Fight | Cataract surgery on right eye |
| Prior Major Injury | October 2019 – High-speed car crash. Suffered facial lacerations, no broken bones |
| Activity During Layoff | Spence: “I enjoyed the three-year layoff… gave me a lot of clarity” |
| Training Camp Changes | Split from Derrick James. New trainer: Ronnie Shields. Also working with Roy Jones Jr, Stephen ‘Breadman’ Edwards |
| Trainer Assessment | Ronnie Shields: “likes what he sees in training camp” |
| Spence on Ring Rust | “Ring rust is nothing but a mental thing. If you look good in training camp, if you look good in sparring, why can’t you look good in the fight?” |
| Health Acknowledgement | “I have my concerns, too. They’re right to have those concerns” regarding health/speech from 2019 accident |
| Retirement Mindset | “I already got my right foot hanging out the door… You never know” if he loses to Tszyu |
| Opponent’s Activity | Tim Tszyu: 4 fights since Spence last fought. 2-2 in last 4. Most recent: Apr 2026 W UD10 vs Denis Nurja |
| Analyst View on Layoffs | Tim Bradley: “A three-year hiatus is an eternity in this game… time away can heal small injuries, but it can also dull timing and urgency” |
| Physical Toll Since 2017 | Spence: 10 fights since 2017. Includes car crash, detached retina, and Crawford TKO loss |
| Weight Jump | Moving from 147 lbs to 158 lbs catchweight – 11 lb jump from career weight |
Why it’s called a “brutal reality check” – facts only:
- 0 fights in 3 years vs Tszyu’s 4 fights in same span.
- 36 years old returning after TKO loss, eye surgery, and car-crash history.
- New trainer/team – first camp without Derrick James since turning pro.
- Admits retirement is close if he loses: “right foot hanging out the door”.
- Tszyu is younger at 31 and fighting at home in Australia.
Tszyu is up to the mark and has been fighting regularly against high level competition like Sebastian Fundora.
Mixing at the very highest level in boxing as well.
Let that sink in.
