By Ryan Burton
Los Angeles, Calif. - Welterweight contender Errol Spence (21-0, 18KOs) was in town this past weekend to catch the Showtime televised doubleheader that saw Abner Mares become a four time world champion by handing Jesus Cuéllar his second defeat and Jermall Charlo successfully defend his IBF super welterweight title by stopping Julian Williams.
Spence, who is ranked #1 by the IBF at welterweight, is looking to get his mandatory title shot sometime in the first half of 2017 against reigning champion Kell Brook.
Brook (36-1, 25KOs) is currently on a medical extension after suffering a fractured orbital bone in his September TKO loss against IBO, IBF, WBA, WBC middleweight champion Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin at O2 Arena in London.
After moving up by two weight divisions, Brook said he intends to drop back to the welterweight ranks.
“I am ready to fight for the IBF title, hopefully (me and Brook) will fight sooner than later," said Spence. "He (is someone) that can add to my legacy. He is a tremendous talent."
Spence became the mandatory challenger to Brook when he brutally stopped Leonard Bundu in August. The fight aired on NBC in the time slot following the US Men's gold medal winning performance at the Olympic Games in Rio and was the most watched fight on US airwaves in 2016.
The 2012 US Olympian has lofty goals that don't stop at becoming a world champion. His ultimate desire is to become the undisputed welterweight champion.
"When I win this world title then I want to fight the winner of Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia and unify. Then hopefully I can fight (Manny) Pacquiao and become the undisputed welterweight champion of the world. That is one of my goals," Spence told BoxingScene.com.
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