Explain the claim that Errol Spence has poor defense, please.

:?

I'm not seeing it. Algieri threw quite a few quick left hook counters as Spence was coming in and couldn't really touch down cleanly on Spence's head with any of them. Spence has very good (for his experience level in the pros) sense of distance, thinks a few moves ahead to anticipate counter-punches and has the proprioception to execute his attacks with enough 'back-end room' to allow for his reflexes to carry him into a safe position afterward, if not completely beyond range then on his way and with a glove raised & readied to block.

ESJ has quick, educated feet and doesn't get the least bit wild in delivering his offense, and is always reasonably wary even when he gets someone hurt.

So, could a hater explain the criticisms to me, please?

 

The Ghanaian dude, right? That's all they've got?

There is no elite boxer in history for whom you can't find an unflattering bit or two of anecdotal evidence to prove some fallacious point about some attribute or another. In boxing we're looking for consistency above everything. Spence consistently displays, along with those attributes falling under "athletic talent" and not skill (that is, agility, power, and speed...though all three of those can be improved upon with refinement of technique and practice to an extent), a very synergistic balance of well-schooled defense and offense most of his time in the ring, to my eyes (and I've been watching him longer than most; I'm guessing a fair number of the haters didn't even watch his run in London 3½ years ago, just finding it fashionable to bash any member of that US team and to especially rip the ones that happen to be with Al Haymon. I don't like Haymon either, and that was a horribly disappointing Olympics for the American squad, but Spence was a bright spot on Team USA, is a bright spot on the Haymon roster, and like it or not is a legit talent on the rise)

 

Who needs to chill? What outrageous claims have I made? That he doesn't have terrible, porous, KO-waiting-to-happen defense like his obsessive haters claim? I think maybe they are the ones that need to chill?

 

Did I say they were? No. Try and pay attention to what is going on around you. This particular thread is addressing those who specifically have made the claim that Spence has no (or very lacking and ready to be exposed at the highest level) defense. That is an unsubstantiated claim IMO and does qualify as just irrational hating and grasping at straws to serve one's agenda. Same with claiming he is harrowing a glass jaw with no, again, no compelling body of evidence to support that belief.

If you don't see the difference between people claiming an emerging prospect/contender is a glass-jawed fraud with Swiss cheese defense (this being the set in response to whom I've made this very thread) and people who are merely saying "let's slow down on anointing him the next p4p star or anything" (which is a reasonable stance) I think maybe you're the one that needs to chill.