Errol Spence welcomes war with Tim Tszyu ahead of July return

Errol Spence said he's prepared for a war when he faces Tim Tszyu on July 26 in Australia, his first fight since Terence Crawford stopped him last year.

Speaking to media during training camp, Spence addressed Tszyu's recent comments comparing the matchup to Sebastian Fundora's upset of Keith Thurman. "He says he's going to be a war," Spence said, per Bad Left Hook. "Well, let it be that, then."

Spence switches trainers ahead of Tszyu fight

The former welterweight champion confirmed he's working with Ronnie Shields after splitting from longtime coach Derrick James. Spence praised the new partnership, saying the chemistry has been strong and that Shields is helping him refine hand placement, jab work, and combination punching. He also noted the extended layoff gave his body time to recover from injuries and the 2019 car crash that nearly ended his career.

When asked if he regretted the Crawford bout, Spence dismissed the question. He said taking back any part of his past would mean changing the life he's living now, and he's in a good place mentally and physically. He also softened his earlier assessment of Tszyu as a "trash" fighter, calling him "good" and "cool" while acknowledging the Australian has talked himself into a hostile reception.

Spence closed by pushing back on critics who degrade world-class fighters without understanding the sacrifice required to reach championship level. The Tszyu clash will test whether the 36-year-old can still compete at the top of the junior middleweight division after consecutive losses to Crawford.

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• Bad Left Hook — ‘Let it be that, then’: Errol Spence welcomes a war with Tim Tszyu