Throughout the week all has been cordial between IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol Spence Jr. (24-0, 21 KOs) and Mikey Garcia (39-0, 30 KOs), the four-division world champion, but things changed at the final press conference.
Either Spence is irritated or may have been rattled by all the comments by Garcia such as, "I know how to defeat Spence after I saw his performance against Lamont Peterson." Whatever that is, it has not been specifically answered yet.
Or maybe the comment that Garcia said "I am a little better in everything that Spence does."
But the straw that may have finally broken the camel's back was when the announcer at the final press conference asked or mentioned to Spence the following and Garcia's responses:
Announcer: Mikey, at the arrival of the fighter, the fans were chanting your name. Did it surprise you?
Mikey: "Look, it's always nice to get that welcoming, I know I have fans everywhere, and here in Texas it is like a second home. I know my fans were going to come and show their support and they did. I was surprised and thought we were going to have more Spence fans as well, but it was predominantly for me and it was a special moment."
Mikey: "I have all the skill and tools needed to beat him and I am better than him in every other way, you name it I'm better."
Mikey: I am prepared to do whatever it takes to win, and if I can hurt him in any of the rounds, I'm definitely going to stop him. I'm also prepared to go twelve rounds and do whatever it takes to win."
Announcer: Errol, you are the favorite in Vegas and most guys have picked you, but others like Sugar Ray Leonard and Mike Tyson have chosen Mikey to win. Does that bother you?
Spence: No, that does not bother me, they are legends and they are entitled to their opinion. That's it.
Mikey: It shows that people have done it in the ring, like Sugar Ray and others, and it just gives me that extra motivation.
Mikey: "Saturday night, Errol is going to find out why I picked this fight. All of my opponents say they don't see anything flashy, they don't see anything special when they watch me -- until they get into the ring."
Regardless of what was asked or said, the final answer will be in the ring on Saturday.
FIGHT SCHEDULE:
Title fight: Errol Spence Jr. vs. Mikey Garcia, 12 rounds, for Spence's IBF welterweight title
David Benavidez vs. J'Leon Love, 10 rounds, super middleweights
Luis Nery vs. McJoe Arroyo, 10 rounds, bantamweights
Chris Arreola vs. Jean Pierre Augustin, 10 rounds, heavyweights
Charles Martin vs. Gregory Corbin, 10 rounds, heavyweights
Lindolfo Delgado vs. James Roach, 8 rounds, junior welterweights
Jesse Rodriguez vs. Rauf Aghayev, 8 rounds, junior bantamweights
Fernando Garcia, Dallas, Texas vs. Marlon Olea, 8 rounds, junior featherweights
Thomas Hill vs. Limberth Ponce, 6 rounds, junior middleweights
Amon Rashidi vs. Gabriel Gutierrez, 6 rounds, junior welterweights
Aaron Morales vs. Fernando Robles, 6 rounds, bantamweights
Luis Coria vs. Omar Garcia, 6 rounds, lightweights
Burley Brooks vs. Randy Mast, 4 rounds, super middleweights
Adrian Taylor vs. Williams Deets, 4 rounds, cruiserweights
Jose Valeenuela vs. Mario Ayala, 4 rounds, junior lightweights
Robert Rodriguez vs. TBA, 4 rounds, junior bantamweight
The fight will be promoted by Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View this Saturday, March 16 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.