Errol Spence Jr. isn’t sure how he is still alive.
An appreciative Spence suspects divine intervention must have had something to do with him surviving a one-car accident in the early-morning hours of October 10 in Dallas. There is no other explanation, according to Spence, for how he cheated death and didn’t even suffer injuries serious enough to interrupt his flourishing boxing career for an extended period of time.
Spence discussed the accident with former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson for the latest episode of their Showtime podcast, “All The Smoke,” which debuted on the premium cable network’s YouTube channels Tuesday.
“I think an angel was with me because I didn’t break any bones, no factures, no anything,” Spence said. “The only thing that was hurt was like my neck, my hip was hurting, both my shoulders was hurting, all this was scraped up [the right side of his face]. My shoulder was scraped up. My legs was scraped up, but you know, I came [out of it] basically, you know, unscathed. I should’ve lost my life that night. And I definitely would’ve lost my life that night if I’d have had a seat belt on.”
According to the Dallas Police Department’s accident report, Spence was driving at a high rate of speed when he lost control of his Ferrari and it flipped over several times before landing on its roof. Spence was ejected from his vehicle, but somehow suffered just cuts to his face and body, as well as damage to his teeth.
Spence, 30, was charged with driving while intoxicated after he was released the following week from Methodist Dallas Medical Center.
The DeSoto, Texas, native has been training in Dallas for a few months and expects to box by October or November against an undetermined opponent. The unbeaten IBF/WBC welterweight champion won’t be cleared to spar, however, until three posts put in his mouth to repair dental damage are replaced by permanent teeth.
Other than the sparring restriction, Spence (26-0, 21 KOs) has intensified training, despite pleas from his parents to cautiously return to boxing.
“The doctor gave me a green light,” Spence said. “I was like, ‘I’m ready to go.’ You know, so I mean, it’s a blessing I’m here. It’s a blessing that I wasn’t severely injured. You know, I didn’t break anything, either. You know, I’m ready to fight. And the doctors couldn’t believe it, either. The doctors was like, ‘Man, I can’t believe he didn’t break anything.’ Like it’s a blessing. Like they didn’t know what was going on.
“For somebody to get ejected from a Ferrari, and to land on pure concrete as the Ferrari was flipping, too. And for the Ferrari not to hit me, and then I land on pure concrete, and you know, break everything in my mouth, and not, you know, have any facial fractures and [not have all of my face] scarred up, and for me to still be walking, you know, I feel like I’m here for a reason.”
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.