In the WBC’s new rankings, Errol Spence has been moved to #1 WBC at 154 for junior middleweight champion champion Sebastian Fundora.
Leapfrogging the Competition
The World Boxing Council’s decision to elevate Spence (28-1, 22 KOs) to the #1 spot for WBC champion Fundora’s title is an interesting one because Errol hasn’t fought in ten months since his ninth-round knockout loss to Terence Crawford.
Spence has never fought at 154, so it’s questionable whether he rates to be placed at #1 with the WBC. But with Spence now at the top spot, that puts him in a position to challenge Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs) for his WBC/WBO junior middleweight titles once his injured nose has healed.
Being moved to the #1 spot in the WBC’s rankings, allows Spence to leapfrog over these contenders at 154 who have been waiting for their chance to fight for a world title:
2. Charles Conwell
3. Jesus Ramos
4. Erickson Lubin
5. Yoenis Tellez
6. Josh Kelly
7. Xander Zayas
Ryan Garcia’s Challenge
The former IBF/WBA/WBC welterweight champion Spence has been called out repeatedly by the popular Ryan Garcia on social media this week. Ryan says he wants to fight Spence in August at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
It’s unclear whether Ryan is serious about the fight with Spence, but if he’s not suspended, that would be a big payday for Errol.
That’s got to be a tempting fight offer for Spence because he can potentially make more money fighting Ryan Garcia than he can Fundora, but the fight doesn’t have the same long-term benefits.
Spence’s management’s likely rationale for choosing to go in the direction of a fight with Fundora is that could lead to money clashes against Tim Tszyu and a rematch with Crawford. Those are the only worthwhile fights for Spence at 154, besides the match against the 6’5 Fundora.
Spence’s Path Forward
If everything works out for Spence, he’ll defeat Fundora and Tszyu and then fight Crawford in a big-money rematch. There could also be a rematch for Spence against Fundora and Tszyu, depending on how things go in those fights.
It also could go badly for Spence if Fundora beats him, effectively sinking his career to the bottom. Spence isn’t the type to retire after a loss, so he’ll likely continue fighting if he gets beaten by Fundora.
Still, it would be a bitter pill for the 34-year-old Spence to swallow losing to Fundora. Spence isn’t young, and it’s going to be harder for him to come back from a loss to ‘The Towering Inferno’ Fundora.
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