FightHype.com

TRAINER DERRICK JAMES ON SPENCE VS. BARRERA: "HE'S GOING TO BE A TOUGH GUY...THIS IS A BIG STEP FOR ERROL"

By Percy Crawford | November 27, 2015
TRAINER DERRICK JAMES ON SPENCE VS. BARRERA:

"He's tough, he's rugged, and he has 28 wins and just 2 losses, so he's going to be a tough guy...This is a big step for Errol and he get to do it in his hometown, so it's beautiful and you can't beat it...His 2015 has been amazing...He's doing his thing, man, and I can't complain at all," stated Derrick James, world-class trainer of undefeated welterweight Errol Spence, who talked about their upcoming clash this Saturday with Alejandro Barrera. Check it out!

PC: It's gotta be a different feeling to be fighting in Dallas with Errol Spence on Saturday night and not getting on a plane to travel.

DJ: It is funny not getting on a plane and traveling before a fight. Errol and I spoke about that today. We will check into a hotel Friday and go to work on Saturday.

PC: I was actually going to ask you If you guys were going to get out of the comfort of your own home and stay in a hotel.

DJ: We follow what's going on. They get us rooms and do everything for us. We have meeting early Friday morning and press conferences and it just makes sense to do everything right there and be able to just go up to our rooms instead of having to drive back and forth all day long.

PC: This is Errol's big moment. How would you rate this camp?

DJ: The last two camps, he's been stepping it up a lot. For this camp right here, he stepped it up big time. We doing 16 rounds; 3-minute rounds with 30 seconds break in between rounds. He's been training hard, he's very focused, and timing is on point. Everything is good, man. We are just focusing on going in there and sticking to the script and taking this guy out of here and getting the victory.

PC: You're a trainer that wants to study your opponent and get a feel for who you guys are getting in there with. I would imagine there isn't a whole lot of footage out there of Barrera?

DJ: It's not a lot of video out there on him, but I look at it like this, the last guy we fought, they didn't have a lot of video out there on him either and you see what happened to him. I look at the guy as a fighter and see what I can see and then I try to go into the psyche of the trainer. To me, he has the best trainer in boxing, Nacho Bernstein, so I look at him and look at his other fighters and see what they do and try to gauge it from that and go from there. I have to go by his teachings because there is not a lot of video out on his guy. He's tough, he's rugged, and he has 28 wins and just 2 losses, so he's going to be a tough guy.

PC: Has the venue of this fight changed anything for you guys for better or worse as far as the approach and fight week events?

DJ: It's been the same. It's just like the opposition changing, as long as you are focused, it will all come to place. This fight is a big deal because this is an IBF title eliminator. You can't beat that. This is a big step for Errol and he get to do it in his hometown, so it's beautiful and you can't beat it.

PC: If all goes well it is the perfect scenario for him, in his hometown, IBF eliminator, it's not going to interfere with the holidays too much and he could really make a statement closing out the year.

DJ: It couldn't be better. He just had a little daughter, so he just had a blessing, about to get another blessing with this fight and it's a title eliminator. I can't think of a better situation then to spend Christmas with your newborn and knowing your next fight is going to be for a title. You can't beat that.

PC: Prior to this close out fight, how would you rate Errol's 2015?

DJ: His 2015 has been amazing. I sat down one day and tallied the records of the fighters and it was 97-5 of the guys he's fought this year. Think about that! Who does that? He's doing his thing, man, and I can't complain at all.

PC: I also think people overlook the fact that I don't think Errol has ever lost a round as a pro. That's not something easily accomplished at all.

DJ: Thank you. The key to that is he fight the whole round. Most guys fight bits and pieces of each round. The jab is the equivalent of 6 or 7 punches. You may only be working the jab, but you rest with the jab, set them up with the jab, and it allows him to fight the whole round when most guys not accustomed to fighting the whole round.

PC: What would have to happen to make you a happy trainer at the end of the night Saturday night? 

DJ: It's all about the victory. I want to see him fulfill his goals as a young man and what he wants to do as a fighter. I want to see him accomplish all that he wants to accomplish without me forcing any of my goals or ideas on him. I would just love to see him fight the fight that we trained for and continue to get better and show the world what he has.

PC: I look forward to the fight and it's always a pleasure watching you guys grow as a team. Best of luck. Is there anything else you want to say before I let you go?

DJ: Thank you for the support and we appreciate everybody who have been showing support. Tune in because it's going to be a good fight.



[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]

MARCH 18, 2024
MARCH 17, 2024
MARCH 14, 2024
MARCH 12, 2024
MARCH 11, 2024
MARCH 07, 2024
MARCH 04, 2024
FEBRUARY 29, 2024
FEBRUARY 27, 2024
FEBRUARY 22, 2024
FEBRUARY 19, 2024
FEBRUARY 15, 2024
FEBRUARY 12, 2024
FEBRUARY 08, 2024
FEBRUARY 05, 2024
FEBRUARY 01, 2024
JANUARY 31, 2024
JANUARY 30, 2024
JANUARY 29, 2024
JANUARY 25, 2024
JANUARY 22, 2024
JANUARY 18, 2024
JANUARY 15, 2024
JANUARY 12, 2024
JANUARY 11, 2024
JANUARY 08, 2024
JANUARY 04, 2024
JANUARY 01, 2024