Errol Spence must make title defense against Carlos Ocampo

[Enlightened-One]

"Errol Spence must make title defense against Carlos Ocampo"

Spence has been ordered to next make his mandatory title defense against unbeaten -- but virtually unknown -- up-and-comer Carlos Ocampo.

The IBF sent Spence a letter, via promoter Tom Brown's TGB Promotions, ordering the bout. "Dear Champion Errol Spence: Congratulations on your win over Lamont Peterson in (an) optional defense of the IBF welterweight title last Saturday, January 20, 2018, at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn, New York. We wish you all the best for a long and illustrious career as the IBF welterweight champion."

Then the letter pointed out that Spence's fight with Peterson was an exception to a mandatory defense that was approved with the condition that the winner of Saturday's fight must next face the leading available contender.

With the No. 1 and No. 2 positions in the IBF welterweight rankings vacant (because no elimination bout had taken place to fill either slot), No. 3 Ocampo is the leading available contender and, thus, Spence was ordered to fight him next.

The IBF ordered Brown and Ocampo promoter Zanfer Promotions to begin negotiations immediately. If the sides to not make a deal by Feb. 22 a purse bid will be ordered to determine promotional control of the bout.

In the event of a purse bid, Spence would be entitled to 85 percent of the winning bid and Ocampo would get the remaining 15 percent, a smaller figure than had he fought an eliminator to become No. 1 or No. 2

Thoughts?

[SenorPipino]

I can't wait.

A real pick 'em affair.

Showtime or PPV?

Sombodys' "0" has got to go.

And it should go within 2 rounds.

[gilgamesh]

A weak mandatory is fine by me really as long as it doesn't take 8 months to put the damn fight together. If Spence MUST fight a weak mandatory let him do it in like April or something that way we can just get it out of the way, and get on to the better matchups.

Any of the people Spence is calling out won't be available for a while anyway.

[SenorPipino]

Spence will probably fight again in May. Maybe June.

Then a fight in November.

Neither of these bouts will be against guys we want to see him in with. But let's hope his 2018 finale bout is against someone who is a little more recognizable and formidable than Ocampo.

Otherwise a top talent like Spence sadly runs the risk of becoming completely overlooked on the boxing landscape.

[armageto]

It's no surprise, the guys at the top of 147 are either busy for 2018 or reluctant to get in the ring with Spence. I don't have any problem with him taking out his mando next. I don't know anything about Ocampo aside being Mexican, undefeated, and he beat Paez Jr. So in theory he will at least come to win, that's all you can ask. Hopefully this fight happens by June/July and seems like a good fight for Spence's Texas homecoming he's been looking for.

[Best Coast]

Spence will probably fight again in May. Maybe June.

Then a fight in November.

Neither of these bouts will be against guys we want to see him in with. But let's hope his 2018 finale bout is against someone who is a little more recognizable and formidable than Ocampo.

Otherwise a top talent like Spence sadly runs the risk of becoming completely overlooked on the boxing landscape.

Hardcore fans already know his greatness and tremendous potential. But PBC and Haymon needs to do smarter marketing by not being so beholden to corrupt groups like the IBF.

[KiwiRider]

It's no surprise, the guys at the top of 147 are either busy for 2018 or reluctant to get in the ring with Spence. I don't have any problem with him taking out his mando next. I don't know anything about Ocampo aside being Mexican, undefeated, and he beat Paez Jr. So in theory he will at least come to win, that's all you can ask. Hopefully this fight happens by June/July and seems like a good fight for Spence's Texas homecoming he's been looking for.

That's a good point. He could headline in Mexas, sorry, Texas with that Ocampo fella.

[SenorPipino]

You're right.

Hardcore fans know Errol Spence.

But the key to creating a crossover superstar who transcends the sport, is to put him in the ring with high calibre opponents who pose an actual threat.

The casual fan won't pay attention to Spence if he's reduced to fighting a never ending string of Carlos Ocampos'.

For them to appreciate Spence's talents, they need to watch him. And they'll only watch him if he's battling recognizable names.

That's how casual fans operate.

[Enlightened-One]

You're right.

Hardcore fans know Errol Spence.

But the key to creating a crossover superstar who transcends the sport, is to put him in the ring with high calibre opponents who pose an actual threat.

The casual fan won't pay attention to Spence if he's reduced to fighting a never ending string of Carlos Ocampos'.

For them to appreciate Spence's talents, they need to watch him. And they'll only watch him if he's battling recognizable names.

That's how casual fans operate.

Do you not think that a couple of Errol’s flaws relate to the following points?

• He doesn’t have much charisma when being interviewed. He's a man of few words... and he usually articulates them without displaying any sort of emotion or variety of the tone of his vocals
• His fighting style is an acquired taste only appreciated by hard-core boxing aficionados. Mainstream fans won’t understand or appreciate his patient approach to wearing down his opponents’, because it’s not spectacular

I’m not a hater, by the way, but being a good fighter isn’t sufficient enough on its own to become a crossover superstar whose appeal transcends the sport.

[Lackeos]

Shouldn't Ocampo be in like a 4-way eliminator with 3 other similar opponents before getting a title shot? Like, seriously, let's clear some of the dreck out of IBF's pathetic rankings and hold a tournament between Ocampo, Laszlo Toth, Keith Obara, and Bradley Skeete. Sad (for IBF's pathetic rankings) that the winner of a tournament like that would probably still only be ranked like #16 on boxrec.

[littlepug]

Watched the Spence v Peterson fight again last night to try and spot what I was missing but still didn't see it, was a solid performance from Spence but not enough to his game to beat Crawford IMO

[jamamb]

ya there top 15s not good. boxrec has better rates to me. peterson was the only one with a legit argument for being top 10 and imo lower top 10 at best. spence already fought peterson now so hes out of consideration for a future fight.


1. NOT RATED
2. NOT RATED
3. Carlos Ocampo (26 on boxrec)
4. Konstantin Ponomarev (17)
5. Lamont Peterson (9)
6. Bradley Skeete (23)
7. Qudratillo Abduqaxorov (10)
8. Keita Obara (33...absolutely destroyed a few matches ago by troyanovsy at 140)
9. Mohamed Mimoune (at 140 on boxrec)
10. Rashidi Ellis (59)
11. Ray Robinson (53)
12. Zhankhozh Turarov (60)
13. Carlos Molina (41)
14. Yordenis Ugas (25)
15. Laszlo Toth (40)
Top
1

[SenorPipino]

You're right.

Hardcore fans know Errol Spence.

But the key to creating a crossover superstar who transcends the sport, is to put him in the ring with high calibre opponents who pose an actual threat.

The casual fan won't pay attention to Spence if he's reduced to fighting a never ending string of Carlos Ocampos'.

For them to appreciate Spence's talents, they need to watch him. And they'll only watch him if he's battling recognizable names.

That's how casual fans operate.

Do you not think that a couple of Errol’s flaws relate to the following points?

• He doesn’t have much charisma when being interviewed. He's a man of few words... and he usually articulates them without displaying any sort of emotion or variety of the tone of his vocals
• His fighting style is an acquired taste only appreciated by hard-core boxing aficionados. Mainstream fans won’t understand or appreciate his patient approach to wearing down his opponents’, because it’s not spectacular

I’m not a hater, by the way, but being a good fighter isn’t sufficient enough on its own to become a crossover superstar whose appeal transcends the sport.

I find Spence to be an entertaining boxer. He's a KO fighter, even if his knockouts come from an extended beat down rather than the one punch variety.

So far he is rather mundane outside the ring. Quiet and softspoken.

Doesn't appear to have a police record and hasn't been implicated in any drug rings or sex scandals.

Maybe his ego will eventually kick in as his fame and talents mature and he'll begin spouting off thereby catching the eye of casual fans.

As good as he was, few paid a lot of attention to Mayweather until he returned from one of his periodic retirements and reinvented himself as Money Mayweather.

No more Pretty Boy.

Suddenly he espoused a gangsta persona and the public grew interested, whether it was a positive reaction or negative.

Maybe Spence will have to travel the same road if he's going to eventually capture mainstream attention.