Errol Spence: The Floyd Sparring Standoff, Crawford Camp Issues & The Crash That Changed Everything

27:33And he made sure he gave me that comfort that when boxing over with, I'll be OK regardless. And I feel like as a man, that's the biggest comfort you can have, especially financially, you know, your family good. Yeah. But that's that's that's what you call success. For sure. We can talk about the wins and losses and all that stuff, you know, that come with the game and we know what comes with it. But to be able to have your legacy intact, don't mean you ain't been through no bumps in the road. It mean that you overcame it, you got through it. And then financially having your stuff right for them babies and, you know, whoever your wife is, whatever your home situation is, that's success, bro.

28:11For sure. You know, so I love to hear it, bro, because that's why I love this platform and being able to talk about these things, because not just for the young fighters, older fighters too. we weren't taught this stuff, most of us. Man. And it's hard. People go, oh, you went, another athlete went broke. It's hard to budget when you have a lot of different stuff going out. You got a fixed income, it's different. You got 10 bills, okay, you can look at that. When you got 30 bills, when you got 40 bills, how you going to budget that? Thanks. How you know the difference between, okay, there's a need and a want?

28:44Okay, what about this investment? It's easy for people to say, invest your money. Invest it in the what? yeah man who can i trust so it's it's just it's really cool bro hearing that man and that make me i'll be at peace man when i hear people like yourself talk about things like that it just make me feel like man we we we growing man you know it's fighting so i appreciate al even even even taking that round i've heard that from him before because i think i heard i don't know if it's true but his brother i think boxed and got a wrong deal and they threw him in and he got you know I think that was kind of the catalyst of him saying, I'm going to get in the game and change something.

29:20Yeah, and change it. Is that what you heard too? Yeah, I heard the same. Well, I know he told him the story where his brother was a boxer. And he fought Sugar Ray Leonard and, you know, he got pennies. Man. And he just heard about different fighters getting pennies. He was like, you know what, I can change this. And he came in the game and, you know, tried to change it. I feel like a lot of boxers, I feel like a lot of boxers didn't listen to him and a lot of boxers don't ask. Like, a lot of people are intimidated, I guess, by Al Mystique. But, you know, even my dad, my dad told him too, like, can you help Errol save, you know, not save his money, but, you know, invest his money so he can help it grow so when he's done with boxing, you know, he'll be okay.

30:09And, you know, that's what I did. Like, he hooked me up with all his personal people and not only hook me up with them, but I also be there in the meetings with them, you know, just making sure everything's right and everything good. Yeah, yeah. It's a blessing, man. It's a blessing. Man, you quickly became the ESPN prospect. It seemed like you was kind of on the fast track, like you wanted to move fast. I think right around that 2012, 2013, you had that infamous sparring session with Floyd Joy Mayweather. Tell me about that day, man. And how did you end up in the ring at Mayweather Boxing Club with Mayweather on that day?

30:45Louis Aries and J. Leon Love had hit me up. It was like, man, Floyd beating everybody up. He needed some work and all this and that. And I'm like, all right, cool, win. It was like, shoot, you can come next week. I'm like, dang, next week? And then I was like, okay, man. I was like, all right, big. And then once I got there, I'm not going to lie. I was nervous I was nervous at first You know it's fluid It's fluid Everybody in the gym Like But all the nervousness went away Like I said You know what I'm saying I feel like You know I'm kind of different I I like when People People going against me Yeah And like when people start Hitting the ring Oh We the doghouse We in this We in that That kind of It clicked Something just Something just changed in me Like Oh these dudes got me messed up.

31:40Like, after hitting the ring and acting like, acting like I'm not him either. Acting like you fool. Yeah, acting like I'm dog fool, man. I'm like, bro, man, come on. So we go, we spa. Know what I'm saying? It was, it was good work. And then we, we get out, we get out the ring. I guess he in the bag. Then he was like, you all right, fool. And then, I was, I didn't really just, I ain't really just, I don't know who he was talking to, so I didn't really pay no mind. Then he said it again. He said, you a A-ful. He said that as he hit the bag. Yeah. As he hit the bag. Because Floyd talked. When he's poor, he going to talk.

32:20Talk crazy, too. And I'm like, who you talking to? He was like, I'm talking to you. And then I was like, man, we can put our stuff back on and get back in the ring. He was like, what? I said, we can put our stuff on and get back in the ring. Matter of fact, we turn off the bell. Turn it off. Yeah. We turn off the bell. It's whatever. I'm 21, 22 years old. So, you know what I'm saying? He said, I bet we get back in the ring. We work. No bail for like, probably for like seven, eight minutes or whatever. We work. And then he rolled out. I'm like, you good? You know what I'm saying? Like, you good?

32:54You all right? Yeah. And he was like, good work or whatever. He didn't say, no, you just kept working or whatever. So, I mean, the spa was good, bro. It was a good experience. Like, he done just seeing, like, different tricks he used to do. And, like, man, dude, he pinched my nose before with his glove. Come on, bro. Like. Inside? Yeah. Inside. Like, he did all type of stuff. But just seeing, like, how he never really get rattled. Like, he never get rattled. One thing about him, he always kept his composure. It doesn't matter what he doing, you know, what happened. You know, how you coming. He always stayed locked in.

33:35He don't care what's going on, what he doing, nothing, what you doing. He always stay locked in and always just kept his composure. That's one of the main things I got from him. His work ethic. Right. Always working. I don't know how he do it, but he'll be up one in the morning at places, just talking, chilling. But I think he go to sleep. He don't wake up until like 1 o 'clock. He comes to the gym like 4. Yeah, 3 o 'clock. Yeah, like 3 o 'clock. and then like he'll stay up to like 3, 4 a.m. But I think his clocks were different. So he'll sleep to like 3 p.m. Whatever, then come to the gym and do what he do again like that.

34:16But I mean, his work ethic was and still is, you know, different. What you think about him coming back right now at 50? I mean, I don't really care for it at 50, but I mean, he looking good. And I mean, he fighting somebody. How old is Pacquiao? Pacquiao up there, too. He's probably close to it. Maybe a little younger. Yeah, I think a little younger. Yeah, I guess, you know, 250-year-olds fighting. Yeah, yeah. Or 47. I mean, it's... It's a fair fight. Yeah, it's a fair fight. It's a fair fight. I mean, I wouldn't want to see him fighting somebody 30 years old or fighting a young buck. You know, he's fighting somebody his age.

34:54And, you know, I don't know how true it is with his situation. But, I mean, it's something he probably, you know, got to do. Mm-hmm. So, you know. What was Floyd's, like, physical strength like in the ring? Oh, he was strong. He's strong? Yeah, he's strong. And he's always balanced. What's that pop feel like? Can he hit? It ain't nothing crazy, but it's more of a, like, I don't know. If he catch you flush, you're going to feel it. But it ain't nothing, like, crazy power. Sharp, though. But it's sharp. Accurate. Yeah. Hit you, like, two or three, though, you're going to feel it. Yeah. Yeah, it's sharp, accurate.

35:31like precision more than anything. Did you get some feedback from Floyd? I mean, not Floyd, but Al after that? After that sparring session? Not that I remember, but nah, not really. Nah, because I remember Floyd was trying to sign me. And yeah, he was trying to sign me and stuff. And Al was just like, nah. But that sparring session, legendary, bro. It's legendary. Yeah, nah, people talk about it. I just never really, you know, bring it up like that because I feel like, you know, we're having a gym plus staying in the gym. So, you know, I just keep the code. Yeah, I respect it. Man, in May of 2017, you had the opportunity to go to England to face Kell Brook.

36:13Yeah. Why did you go over there? No doubt in my mind I was going in. So it was no issue? Yeah, it was no issue, bro. I never had a doubt in my mind, like, I'm going to lose, especially at that time. Like, it was like, you know, I'm going to go over here and die. And then I watched a lot of movies, like Spartan movies and all this and that. So I got kind of an itch and stuff to even do that. Like, man, I'm finna go to a green little foreign. And I'm finna go conquer this dude. Go get this belt. Yeah, go get this belt. So I was like, man, I'm finna go over there. Like, this is going to be dope. Because I wanted to take the belt from someone.

36:55You know what I'm saying? He was the IBS champ, right? Yeah, he was the IBS champ. he had just beat Sean Porter. So he was, you know, the guy at 47. So I just want to go over there and beat him. What was the brownie stuff about? What was this dude talking about the brownie stuff? That's his punch. That's his right hand. His right hand is called a chocolate brownie. So I understand. I'm like, bro, what a chocolate brownie? I guess it's an England thing. I don't know. And then you beating. Yeah. And then you eating brownies after the fight. Yeah. You posting the brownies after the fight. Yeah, for sure.

37:29Yeah. Nah, it was, man, that was a dope experience. Like, my first world title fight, I wish I would have took that in a little bit more. I wish I would have sat in a little bit more, but I was already thinking about, you know what I'm saying, what's next, what I'm going to do next. Like, I never really just, I never really just sat in my wins like that. or like I don't even think, like I watched that fight probably, I probably watched that fight probably like three times, three or four, like I never, I never, I never watched my fights because I see so much, you see so many things you do wrong when you watch your own fights, so I hate watching my fights.

38:09Me too. There's some fights I've never watched. Yeah, I'm like, man, you feel like you just, you criticize yourself, you're like, man, what am I doing? What was that? I'm the worst at that, bro. I don't listen back, no commentating. I'm really supposed to be listening back, listening for mistakes, trying to get better. I don't watch it back because I don't really like to hear myself talk. I don't like it. My wife's like, you sound... Nah. I sound crazy. It's just the tone of my voice. It just sound weird. I'm kind of critical of myself a lot with that kind of stuff. Did you feel any type of way about people trying to take from the win and say, oh, he got his orbital bone broke from Golovkin, and then you go, you fought a damaged Kell Brook.

38:55Do you feel aware about that? Nah. I mean, he got in there, bro. It don't, like, it don't matter. Like, nah, I didn't feel no way at all about it. Like, if that was the case, he should have vacated the bill. Right. And I would have fought somebody else for it, so, I mean, he was a stand-up guy. He, He, you know, he wanted to fight for his belt and, you know, he felt good. I mean, I damaged the other eye, so that eye didn't get damaged. We left that one alone. Yeah, I damaged the other eye. So, I mean, that had nothing to do with me. I think in 2018, that's when you and Crawford had that viral moment.

39:36Where was y 'all at when y 'all was going back and forth? You in on that red hoodie? We was in Oklahoma. Maurice Hooker had just fought. Did you know he was going to be there? Yeah, I knew he was going to be there. Yeah, I knew he was going to be there. How did y 'all, what happened in the back? Like how y 'all come in contact with each other? I don't know how that happened. Man, that was so long ago. I think I was, either I was doing the interview or he was doing the interview or something, and damn, we just met each other head on. We was talking. I'm glad I ain't bet that million dollars. Hey, that was what y 'all was talking about, that million of.

40:11Yeah, we're talking about that man, but that was like, that was, what, 2018? That was a long time ago. Long time ago. Yeah. Tell me about your relationship with Jerry Jones. How did that come about? Obviously, he's from Dallas, but that's a big man to be in contact with. Yeah, yeah. So our relationship just, you know, me always being a Cowboys guy. And then the relationship first came about, I guess. you know, he had heard, you know, through the grapevine. And then I followed at the training center in Frisco. And I did my thing. I didn't even think I was going to be able to sell that many tickets.

40:47Like, I'm like, bro, I'm going to probably hear like, I think it was like 15 or 20 ,000 tickets or something like that. I'm like, y 'all want me to, you know, do this? You know, when I did it, then we just started, you know, communicating with each other. We started talking to him. And Jerry Jones, I mean, he seemed to be a down and over person, like, just talking to him like, you know, he just a cool person. So y 'all connected and then you had your first fight with Mikey Garcia in AT &T State. Yeah. Brother, that's a whole lot of seats. Yeah, yeah. I think you did like 47 ,000 or something like that.

41:25Yeah, we did. Like a$5 million gate. Yeah, we did something crazy. That was big. That was crazy. Yeah, that was huge. especially, you really don't see black Americans doing something like that. So they would do something like that and draw them people in the crowd and everybody come out watching you, man, that was a dope moment. I think I kind of took that one in. I was like, man, it's crazy. Because I was telling them, I was like, y 'all want me to fight at the ACC stadium? Right. Is the capacity like 70 or 100? Yeah, it was like 70 or 100, something crazy. I'm like, y 'all want me to fight here?

42:03It's like, yeah, I'm like, man, all right, y 'all, you know, y 'all know about all this. I'm not, y 'all going to take the long term if we go bad anyway. So I was like, all right, I do it. But at first I had my reserves about it. I didn't want to do it. So as you in camp getting ready for that fire, you hearing like, yo, the tickets, they selling. Are you hearing about this? Yeah, I was hearing about it. I was hearing about it, but I just didn't know it was going to do that well. especially, man, it's crazy, like, coming out and just seeing, you know, all those people. I don't walk through the crowd.

42:34I'm seeing people from, you know, childhood in the stands, everything. I'm like, bro, like, this. I'm like, yo, this is crazy just seeing different people and just, I don't think anybody would have thought, I don't think my mom, dad, anybody would have thought that I'd be fighting, you know, at the Cowboy Stadium, nothing but a stadium. That's crazy. All these fans come to, you know, come to see me and somebody else fight each other, bro. We don't really do that in the States like that. That's more overseas. You know, they used to have it. It's hard to fill an arena in the United States. But the stadium, bro, is powerful.

43:11And I think you sold about 400 ,000, roughly 400 ,000 pay-per-views. Yeah. And those are great numbers, right, that time. Million, you got to have the right dance part in the audience. Everything, a lot of things got to be right for you to sell a million. But so after you did that, that had to put you in a different position negotiating wise. So behind the scenes with Al and stuff, after you pulled that off, what type of position were you in from a business standpoint to call your shot for the next one? I mean, you was getting, you know, six stars treatment. Like, yeah, like basically like anything you wanted or anything you asked for.

43:50You know what I'm saying? They're going to try to make it work. It don't matter if it's not possible. They're going to try to catch you in a way to make it possible. So, you know, I was happy with, you know, what I was getting, what they was offering me. And, you know, if I asked for anything, you know, it was at my disposal. You know what I'm saying? Regardless if it made sense or not. They're going to try to make it happen. Yeah, they're just trying to make it happen because a lot of people don't know that. I only signed one contract where, like, even today I'm a free, I've been a free agent.

44:27To the handshake? Yeah, just handshakes and just, you know what I'm saying, I know Al always treated me right, so, you know, it's something I would stick with, but even to this day, like, it always just been a handshake, always been a grievement, that's just how we always been. And, you know, he gave me, shoot, anything I need. I don't ask him nothing too crazy, but, you know, I just ask what I think is right. Yeah, right. Yeah. So at this point, like, what type of businessman is Errol Spence? Like, you really starting to catch on on how it works and what to ask for? Or are you kind of just letting Al still take the lead?

45:07Well, now I... You're saying after the Mikey Garcia thing. Oh, after the Mikey Garcia thing? I was still letting Al kind of take the lead yeah I was still letting him take the lead right there but as it as it started going a little bit more I started like man I got more I got a little bit more power like you know what I'm saying I got a little bit more power let me ask for this let me do this let me do that and Al was the type of person he always you know what I'm saying he always came correct Like, you know, it was never anything disrespectful or anything. Like, he was trying to cut me, undercut me.

45:49No money missing, nothing like that. Yeah, no money missing, anything like that. Like, he always came correct and was always solid. Man, you know, at this point, Earl, like, I mean, you had the world in your hands at this point. You know, like, you don't know how high that star is going to go, how bright that star is going to be. and I'm looking from the outside in and it don't look bad, what I'm saying, but you see Brody know he him. You can just tell the way you're moving. You see the respect you get when you're in certain crowds, some other fighters and just people in general. Had you started partying?

46:29I don't know if you was a big partier, but was you starting to drink a little bit at that time? Because you start to kind of feel invincible and I'm not sure if that's how you felt around that time, Like right before the Sean Porter fight? I mean, I was already, you know what I'm saying, kind of drinking. I mean, I'm kind of an introverted person. Like drinking, it helped because it made me, yeah, it made me my open. Now you talking. Yeah, it made me my open, made me talking all that. Like I'm one of the people I already don't like talk. Like everybody was in the house talking all that. I went for a walk.

47:04You know, right before this interview, I walked twice just because like I'm not one of them guys that just... Small talk. Yeah, just want to sit around, just talk, chop it up and all this and that. I'd rather just do what I do. You ask some guys, they'd be out in the room watching a movie or something right here, and I'd be either in my room or I'd be in the dining room reading a book. I'd just never been one of those guys. Drinking helped because it made me more comfortable being in places and just being more open and being more outgoing, you know, it just got to a point to where, you know, I wasn't really, I wasn't really controlling it like that.

47:50And I mean, I felt like it wasn't, it wasn't a crazy problem, but it was more like doing it at the wrong time, doing it at the wrong time. You shouldn't be doing it at no damn boxing event. You know what I'm saying? like you shouldn't you know be doing it while you driving or when you know you got to drive it's just certain things you should you should protect because and I still think about it to the day I'm like bro like all these memories like these new memories I have with my kids and this and that that all could have been gone you know what I'm saying so I still get emotional about it Yeah.

48:27Just thinking about it, I'm like, bro, like my kids, my kids, you know, didn't ask to be here. None of that. And, you know, all this would have been cut short because I didn't have stuff set up like I got now. Like I got trust and I got children, school trust and things like that for them. Like I didn't have none of that set up. So it's just been a whole war on, you know, what whoever get. You know what I'm saying? So, you know, I feel like, you know, things definitely happen for a reason. And I feel like I wouldn't take anything back because it made me the man I am today. You know, it made me way closer to my family.

49:09You know, made me, you know, get a lot of people out of my circle and just, you know, lock in to what's really important. And that's, you know, that's family. And that's just being around people who really love me for me. and don't care about boxing and don't care about, you know, if I ever put on gloves again, you know, I tell them, I'm going to return. They ask me, am I sure? Like, is that what you want to do? You know what I'm saying? My lady hate training camps and hate when I, when I'm about to fight and all this and that. My mom do too. My mom talking about she going to drive down here. She going to drive down here just to see what's going on.

49:45You know what I'm saying? Just see what's going on. Yeah. She going to come check it out? Yeah. Just see how you doing. Yeah. In the camp and all this and that. You know, so, you know, they hate that kind of stuff. And that's the time people you want around you, they're not with you because you boss. They know EJ. They with EJ. They're not with Earl Spence Jr., The Truth, Big Fish, and all that type stuff. They can care less about any of that. You know, they just want your well-being to be good. Man, bro, God got his hand on you, bro. Oh, yeah, for sure. He got his hand on you. Sometimes he got to allow stuff to happen to get our attention.

50:22But, brother, it's clear. He got his hand on you, man. Oh, yeah, for sure. Because, I mean, I'm super hard-headed. And I told my lady, I'm like, bro, I'm like, yeah, I'm hard-headed. But it's like, it's a double-edged sword. Because my hard-headedness got me to where I am now. But then again, my hard-headedness, you know what I'm saying, got me and stuff. I shouldn't have been in. Right up. But I was just hard-headed. So it was like a double-headed school. Once you get older, you learn to control it. But, you know, I just, I had to learn. And, yeah, I learned the hard way. But, you know, like you said, God had his hand on me because it's a lot of situations and things.

51:02Like, I feel like I should be here, but I shouldn't have been here if you go by, you know, the stats of, you know, when that happened to people and stuff that happened. And I'm still here to even talk about it, you know, so. Brother, you fought again. That's a whole blessing. Man. You have fought multiple fights since that. Man. Who you telling? Being alive is one thing, but you fought, bro. Yeah. You know? That's that. Man. If it's ever like a... People call them memorials, like things you remember. Like, man, I remember God was here. I remember when he showed up for me here. Man. Anytime you got to struggle, having a day where you struggling with your faith and trying to figure something.

51:44Brother, that's all the reminder you need right there, bro. Yeah. And I know that ain't the only thing you've been through. I know you've been through a lot of other things, too. But, man, just... But we're going to talk a little bit more about that in just a few minutes. But, you know, leading up to the Sean Porter fight, bro, was there any issues with Derrick James at that time? Was y 'all having any friction? I mean, we never really just had friction. Like, you know, I see the relationship. Like, you got with your coach. like how, you know, it's, you know what I'm saying? You know, you had a dad growing up, but it was that father-son relationship.

52:21Like, you know what I'm saying? He sparked wisdom in you. You know, he talking to you. You know, he telling you this, he telling you that. You know, even if you're not listening, you know, he's still putting it in there, you know, because he know that you'll go back to that eventually. Like, you know, it was never really none of that. you know, it wasn't really that, he wasn't really that stuart to where, you know, he was telling me different things and, you know, trying to help me out with different things. And it probably could have been me too, because I'm a clothes-out person. Like, I'm not a guy to just go around and tell my business or just be, you know, up front with people and this and that.

53:03I'm kind of, like, I go to the gym, get our workout, and I'm gone. like I'm out till next time type thing. Well, if I'm not fighting, then sure I'm not talking to you. Like that. So, nah, Deshaun, it wasn't really, it wasn't any friction. It sure went about like how it usually goes. That's what with me, because on the outside looking in, y 'all look like me and Virg. Y 'all look super close. Y 'all, like I would hear the way he talked about you, and then I would hear the way you talked about him. it just seemed like it was bigger than boxing. That's what it seemed like. I mean, a lot of stuff seemed like.

53:47So when I see the friction, I'm like, nah, man, nah. But you just don't know. You know, you just don't know. You just don't know, bro. You know, stuff happened, bro. And, you know, you can't, I mean, of course you can question it, but, you know, stuff happened, you just got to roll with it. Like, I take everything, anything that happened to me, bro, I take it. You know, I take it and try to learn from it and, you know, and be like, oh, this was meant to happen for this to happen. Like, that was meant to happen to get me here and for all this to be happening, bro. So, and I feel like even with the stuff that happened with Derry, man, made me really just, you know, sit back even more and just, you know, see people for who they are and just, you know, think about.

54:37of this person's character and this and that and just weed other people out and just... Yeah. And realize and get deeper with my family and just realize, you know, they really for me. Like, my kids, my woman, my mom, dad, my sisters, they really for me. So I'm just going... I'm going to hold tighter to them. We're really kicking in. Like, we going on trips. We going on trips. I'm still, like, I'm going through the whole lawsuit. All that, like, I'm still... I'm going on trips, taking my family, to, you know, St. Martin, we going to Aruba, all that. Taking everybody, sisters, mom, dad, seven, eight people.

55:15Just, you know what I'm saying? Just having fun, enjoying myself. And, you know, thank God, you know, I never had to use my principle. You know, I never, I never used, you know, the principle that I had, you know, just stuff that, I'm making money out of the interest. Come on. So, you know, that's the blessing there. I never touched the principle. I'm just living out the interest, you know, and enjoying life while doing it. You know, that's the biggest blessing ever. Like, I ain't got to worry about, you know, ever. Of course, you know, things happen. But for right now, like, I'm not using my principle for anything.

55:53So in other words, he's saying he ain't touching the actual money he made. There's everything on top of that. He ain't touch that. He ain't touch that. That's making other money. That's what he's saying to y 'all. Oh, for sure. I ain't, I ain't touch Crawford money. Who else? Yeah, I ain't touch the Crawford money or probably the Foo God's money for sure. So you ain't even, you ain't even had to touch it? Nah, I ain't even had to touch it, bro. And I'm a Foo God, bro. Like, I don't, I don't got five, six cars. Like, I got a TRX and I still drive that car that's out there. That's my car from the house, 2016 Tahoe.

56:31Like, you know what I'm saying? That's the type of stuff I drive. My girl, she got to escalate. But when that happened, though, because I was saying you had some heavy stuff on your neck and on your wrist. Man, look. I mean, the chain, bro, that chain was probably like 10 years old. It is. But you bought it, though. Yeah, I bought it. It's iconic. But that was when I was, you know what I'm saying? When I was feeling myself. You was popping your stuff. Yeah, I popped myself that chain. And then, you know what I'm saying? I had watches like I still got a paddock, but I had the bust down paddock that Adrian influenced me to get.

57:09Influenced me to get that book. AB. Yeah, because he ain't got all of them all. He was like, what are you doing? I'm like, bro, nah. Then I just bought it. Then what's hitting though. Then I had bought the AP. Yeah, I got a few watches for sure. Yeah, I got a few watches. You just not in love with it like that? Yeah, I'm not in love with it. I'm like, I'm going to buy something, but I'm not going to buy this. that, this, and that. Like, if I buy this, then I'm not buying that then. Like, if I buy this for my mama, I'm not finna buy that for me. Like, I make everything count. Yeah. You know what I'm saying?

57:44And I make it like, yeah, I get that, but I'm not finna get this. Yeah. And I just make it count like that. I just make it make sense, but it just got to make sense. Man, you fought Sean Porter in a great fight, Staples Center, 2019, back and forth fight. You know, Sean came like he came. You came like you came. I think that fight did. It was like 16 ,000 in the arena. You're not from California. So you continue to make statements that I'm a big draw everywhere I go. So that was no longer a question. And 12 days later, man, the news came out about the accident. I think I was in Colorado Springs getting ready to interview somebody.

58:21And I started seeing this stuff pop up, man, that you was in your Ferrari at like 3 in the morning, bro. And I don't even know how TMZ and him be getting that footage. Like you got the footage from that one spot that had a camera going at that time? Brother, so we started seeing that. I don't even know how I felt, bro. I don't even know how I felt. I just started praying. I just wanted you, it wasn't about no boxing or nothing. I just wanted you to live, bro, and have your quality of life. What do you remember about that night, man, going to that party? Anything before the accident? I don't know.

58:57What do you... I don't remember nothing. I don't remember anything, even like getting out the hospital and they telling me, you know, I was walking up the steps and all that. I don't remember nothing probably a month after me getting out the hospital. That's when it started coming back, the memory? Yeah, that's when my memory really started coming back. So do you remember posting? Nah, I don't remember posting. Posting No Broken Bones? It's something I'm a savage. You said I'm a savage? You said No Broken Bones. Yeah, I said No Broken Bones, I'm a savage. You don't remember posting that? Nah. Dang, bruh.

59:27They didn't take your phone. That was our subconscious. Like, I was just, I guess I was still, like, because even, like, when Al came in, Al said I was talking to him. Like, everybody said I was talking to him and all this and that. But that wasn't me talking. Like, that was just, I don't know, my subconscious. That was me talking, but that wasn't me. That wasn't me talking, bro. That was somebody else. I mean, it was me, but that wasn't actually me. Like, I don't remember none of that. Like, my girl was telling me stuff like how I was on Twitter saying different things and, you know, the way I was talking and all that, I was like, bro, I don't remember now.

1:00:07I heard the news, seen the footage, and then went to Instagram. This boy talking about no broken bones, I'm a savage. I'm like, I said, well, first of all, that's good. He back. He alive. You know what I'm saying? It look like he going to make it. But I'm like, boy, he cold for that. Yeah. That was just my mentality, bro. Like, that's how I was. I was just, I mean, that's how I still am. Like, that's why I'm going to Australia. Like, I'm not tripping, bro. Life is about experiences, bro. I done had a lot of experiences. And I feel like it'll be a dope experience just go over there and conquer somebody in their hometown.

1:00:47Yeah. Yeah. So you get out the hospital. You said you don't remember that. When the stuff, like, when you got back home and started getting settled, Like, when did your mind start coming back where you, like, start processing, like, dang, bro, I've been in an accident? And did you watch the footage? I didn't watch the footage until probably, like, a year later. Yeah. I didn't watch the footage probably a year later. But, bro, I don't know. It never, like, I knew I got into an accident, but I never really, like, really reflected on it. Like, I was still just going, bro. Mm-hmm. Well, I was still just going, bro.

1:01:27I was in a dark spot. I started growing my hair out. I was looking like Kodak Black. I was growing my hair out. I had a whole full beard and everything. I was just going, bro. Did you remember talking to Derek at any point, Al, after the hospital? Like, you know, getting feedback from them, your dad, your mom? Oh, I remember talking to Al. I actually, I came to the gym probably like two months later and tried to hit the bag, but like stuff was hurting real bad. So I stopped going to the gym. And she was just really just chilled out. Still going to clubs and stuff. Still? Yeah, for sure. For real?

1:02:15Yeah. Oh, after the accident? Yeah. Was you driving yourself? Oh, you hard-haired for sure, bro. Oh, yeah, you hard-haired for sure. Nah, I wouldn't drive. I wouldn't. Was I driving myself to the club? And you were still drinking? I wouldn't. Nah, I wouldn't drive myself to the club. You were still drinking? Yeah, for sure. Oh, you hard-haired for sure. Yeah, yeah. Brother, you just walked through a miracle. Yeah. And you went right back. But I didn't see it like that, though. Well, how was you seeing it? Bro, I wasn't thinking like that. Like, it was just like, you know, I got through it. You know what I'm saying?

1:02:49I'm cool. I'm good. like that just my that just was my whole mentality been my mentality like it's just like it's cool like anything that happened like i never my mama always say she's like you don't take nothing serious because like something could happen something i just be like all right or yeah i'm just like she like you know you don't take nothing serious i'm like what i'm supposed to do like so that's just my whole that's that was just my whole mentality you know i was just like dang i didn't know that it is what it is bro like i thought you was in the house the whole time nah i was in the house sometimes but sometimes you know i was just i was still bro i don't know i was kind of stuck i was stuck it was just something that was just stuck and it just it was just, I don't know, I had something on my back.

1:03:43You know, I had something on my back that I couldn't get off. It wouldn't get off my back. It was robbing me. And eventually I got it off my back, but at that time it was just, it was just stuck on me, just gone. But it's just so many things that I was getting warning after warning after warning. You know what I'm saying? I know God ran I don't know I guess he didn't run out of patience with me because he kept like maybe this will deter him a little bit he kept he kept putting stop signs but I was running passing through the bank yeah I was running stop signs I was running but eventually I feel like you know I got it I for sure got it now but you know I was just hard hit it bro just going just going just going through the stop signs bro and not You know, ignoring the signs, bro.

1:04:39So when you pop back, bro, you pop back out after what you just went through, what people saying to you? It's like somebody coming back from dead, bro. Like, hold on, bro. That's Errol. Yeah. I mean, nobody really saying nothing. They didn't? Not to me. They probably said something to other people, but nobody really said anything to me except my family. stuff but other than like people that's from the outside nobody really said nothing to me like man i remember because i had three all this was gone like i had parts in my mouth so every day i had to glue them back in and push them back in and it was just bro i was just i really was just mentally bro i was just out of it like i didn't know if i was gonna live or die I would really just, just really care.

1:05:33I don't, I know, I don't think I was depressed. I don't think I was depressed at all. It was just, bro, I was just going, going through the motions, bro. Just, just going through. And then that's when I was just, you know what I'm saying? Getting tatted, bro. And I feel like all my tattoos, like, you know what I'm saying? Most of them, they mean something. Especially the one I got, like. Like right here, like it's a man. It's a man right in here. He trying to keep his head above water. Why he got clothes on. You know how hard it is. Keep me head above water while he got clothes on. But if he drowns and he go down, there's sharks and stuff down there.

1:06:09You know what I'm saying? That's with demons and all that. And then, you know, I got my kids, my mom, my dad, everybody, my girl and everything on my back and stuff. And just, you know, keeping the strength. But, you know, I can't credit it to me. You know, it was just, I was really just God. and, you know, I can't give myself any credit for it. I don't know why I'm still here, because, you know what I'm saying, I've been very fortunate, you know what I'm saying? I'm not going to say, look, I've been very fortunate to still be here and to still be even functional, be functional better to even talk to you.

1:06:48And not only this, but even still boxing, like, a lot of dudes not doing that, wouldn't do that, like, it'll be over with. and just still be here and be able to be, you know, functioning, still talking, still be able to run and play with my kids and wake up no aches and pains and bruises or anything like that. I mean, bro, it's really a blessing. Man, did you have a reconnection with God during that time when you was healing? Or maybe did that come later? Mm.

1:07:21Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I did. Yeah, I did. Yeah, I did. Probably that came later, though. It came a little later on. I was still kind of, I guess, ignorant. You know what I'm saying? That came a little later on. That probably came, my connection with God, that probably came after the, that came after the Crawford fight. Yeah. That came probably after the Crawford fight when I really just, you know, sat down in it. And then I really sat down because I lost that. And then, you know, Derek came with that, boom. You know what I'm saying? I was just like, I was super down. Yeah. I was super down. Then I feel like, then I just, I stopped drinking and just, you know, really just sat in it.

1:08:14And then just stayed by myself, just in a ranch by myself and just stayed with my family. And really just, you know, really just broke it down in my head. because I'm one of those guys, like, my lady used to ask me all the time, like, what's wrong? Because I'll just be sitting on the couch. And I'm just sitting there just like, while I was in the theater room, I'd be in the theater room two or three hours just eating pistachios and just thinking, just looking in the sky and just thinking, just processing everything in my head, not really just saying much. And I think that's when I really just got a real connection with God and just hearing that I'm blowing it.

1:08:58That I'm blowing it. If I'm going to come back to boxing, I got to be right. I got to be right. I got to be right with myself, and I just got to be 100. If I say I'm a family man and I'm living for my kids and I'm living for my family, I got to really do that. I can't just say I'm doing something, but then in the dark doing something else. Like, I got to be 100 % all in. And I was like, I'm not going to come back to boxing until I'm 100%, you know what I'm saying, all in with the things I say I want to be right with and out. And I want to be right with my family and just, you know, want to be there and want to be present.

1:09:49And that's the first time, I feel like that's the first time I was really present with my family and with my kids, you know, after the fight, because I wasn't going to the gym. And I really had to find myself because I wasn't boxing, so I had to find things I was good at. You know, I don't have a job, so you got the whole day. You got the whole day to yourself. And really getting your thoughts and see what you like and just find out different things. I start, you know, playing soccer and, you know, going on walks with my mom and just, I just start reading books. I just start reading books and things.

1:10:27So just doing different things that I've never done just to keep my mind, you know, active. And just because, you know, growing up, bro, it was just after boxing you was done. When you go to the gym, you done for the day. When you go running, you good for the day. And that's what it always been. I was never good at anything else but boxing. I was good at basketball, football, things like that. But I never had any other hobbies because boxing had always been that thing for me. And after boxing, it was nothing else. I didn't care about nothing else. It was go to sleep, wake up the next day. and boxing more.

1:11:14So now, I wasn't boxing, so I had to sit in and, you know, see the things I really like. You know, and I found out that I like traveling. I like seeing the world. I like seeing different cultures. And being around my kids, I enjoy being a soccer dad. That's good you like being around your kids because people don't like being around their kids. Man, that's crazy to me. They don't like being around their kids. Yeah, that's crazy to me. And I'm always around my kids. I mean, Houston now, my kids, Daddy, when you coming home? Daddy, where are you? Like, because they're not used to not seeing me. Like, they always see me with them.

1:11:50They're at any event, I'm there. Like, it don't matter what it is. Like, last week, I went down to Dallas because my daughter's graduating from the third and fourth grade. You know, we popped up on them and things. My son had a game, I popped up. If I wasn't doing an interview, I would have drove to Dallas to see my kids. Her soccer game, she had a soccer game today. She got two games today. how to jog down and watch both games. It's just certain things like that being present. I feel like that's more impactful than money or anything because at the end of the day, they just want you there. And a lot of dudes, they're not used to be around their kids because they're always gone.

1:12:28They're always doing something. But with me, I take my kids everywhere. You had your babies in camp too. Your son was in camp. Yeah, my kids always in camp. Like, I get Airbnb in Dallas, and a week later, my whole family at the Airbnb spending the night, everything. So, yeah, my family always with me. My kids, man, they the joy of my life, and they, I feel like they're the reason why, you know, I got really right. Just my family. That's the reason why I got really locked in and got really right and just got really right with everything and made sure that, you know, I leave no stones on turning.

1:13:15Just make sure I'm there mentally, physically, emotionally. And I talk to him, too, and just, you know, just love him. Yeah. Man, I appreciate the message, bro. It's a deep message, and it's needed. you know like this boxing stuff aside wins losses belts all that stuff is cool making money but like you showing the world and these other fighters who are struggling a lot of not all of them but it's some you know and you know a lot of them i'm talking about for them to see you go through the fire and then they hearing how you worked your way through man i had to be real with myself man i had to reconnect with god man man i was still drinking at first but then i realized that that ain't gonna cut it i gotta get a best version of myself all that kind of stuff man is like that ain't that That ain't sport.

1:14:00That's life stuff. Oh, yeah. You feel me? So, man, I just appreciate it, bro, because all the ice and the money and the belts, that stuff is cool. But nobody really talks about life after this game. Nobody talks about when the lights turn out, when the fans not there. We don't talk about that stuff, bro. It get dark. It get real, and it get quiet and lonely. Man, I didn't watch boxing. I didn't watch boxing at the crowd. I just started watching boxing again when I knew I was going to come back. I didn't watch boxing because I was just seeing dudes like I knew I could beat and man like just seeing different things I'm like bro like I didn't even watch boxing I didn't go to fights I didn't do nothing I didn't do nothing boxing like I was going to the gym and stuff like that but I wasn't watching boxing like that because it was just like and I could see why the motor fighters get you know what I'm saying they kind of get mad because with them you know they see the money and all this they getting out They get kind of mad at it because, like, man, these dudes don't fight nowhere near how we used to fight, and they getting paid all this money.

1:15:06But I just didn't watch it just because, you know, I knew I still had something left. And, you know, I couldn't show it because, you know, I was trying to get right, you know, mentally. And I had to sit in my stuff for my kids and for my family. and a lot of dudes don't want to do that because, you know, you got to check your ego, your pride. You got to, all that comes with checking yourself. And a lot of dudes don't want to do that. They don't want to check the ego and pride. A lot of them are not real enough to do that either. Like, you got to be solid with yourself. Like, man, I'm messing up.

1:15:43Because I knew I was messing up a lot when I wake up in the morning or I'm lit or whatever. I'd be like, bro, I'm messing up. Like, I'm telling myself, but I never really just sat in it. But when I got the moment just to sit in it and just dwell on it, and you're going through different battles, and you might relapse again or something, but, you know what I'm saying, you go back and, you know, you figure it out of your mind and you stop doing all that, bro, you feel, when you come out of all that, bro, you feel a lot better. Like, I feel way better being, you know what I'm saying, a family man.

1:16:21You know what I'm saying? Being around with my kids, knowing I'm not doing anything wrong, you know. Just, you know, being solid out across the board to my family, you know. It's a real good feeling, bro, knowing that, you know, you somebody your son can look up to. You somebody you want your girls, you know what I'm saying? You want their man to have the same qualities that you have. Yes. You know what I'm saying? And that's a very good feeling. And before I done had, but now I feel like, you know what I'm saying? I'm doing mostly everything right. Yeah. That's why I respect you so much, bro.

1:17:00I respect your fight game. I respect how you have always approached the game, your work ethic, all that stuff, man. But this kind of stuff, like what I've learned about you the last two years or whatever it's been, just talking to you, man, you say, man, I'm just, I done got rid of this car or that car. I'm driving to whatever type of car now, just taking my girls to soccer practice, man. I'm enjoying it. That's powerful, bro. That's powerful, bro. Nah, it feels good. I go to all the soccer practices. I see. I'm in there. I'm soccer games, whatever. I'm right there. And it feels good just seeing just the different adjustments they make or just the different milestones your kids make.

1:17:43Like, man, she showed some grit. or, man, that's the proudest feeling. And I seen Steve Harvey say that. He say, no one wants you to succeed like your father. And, like, man, I haven't. Man, just seeing my kids do something successful or just doing something good about, that's, like, that's the greatest feeling. That's even better than winning the world title or, you know, winning a boxing match because the joy you get out of that, you're like, man, like my kid did that. because you feel like your kid is you. I'm like, that's me. So that joy you hear, bro, that's priceless. Man, your first comeback fight was against Danny Garcia, which ain't no soft touch at all.

1:18:27Yeah. What was your honest assessment personally to yourself about how you felt? Did you feel like you still had it? You was missing something after the Danny Garcia fight? That Danny Garcia fight, I had COVID too. Dang. Yeah, I had COVID. it. But, yeah, I feel like I still had it. You know, I think it was, if you look at the weigh-ins and look at me the fight day, I didn't rehydrate right. Because I didn't have a nutritionist, I didn't have a dietician, and I wouldn't, like, I still didn't know about putting salt in your water and all that, like I knew it, but I didn't know about it like that, putting salt in your water and rehydrating properly and all that.

1:19:11Like I was still drinking water, drinking Peter light, you know, waking up every morning, waking up, waking up in the morning, just peeing a lot. You peeing out of water, you're still waking up 154. You're not absorbing it. Yeah. I'm not absorbing it at all. It's not staying in me. So I was still smart doing that, but yeah, I feel like I still had it. And I, and my whole mentality was, yeah, man, I'm not taking no tune of it. If somebody's going to beat me, he's just going to have to beat me. I just feel like, why take a tune? If I'm sharp in camp and I'm nice in camp, then what should change fight time?

1:19:50If anything, I should be better because I get day off the rest. So I should be more on point. I just feel good, though. I feel okay. I feel like it was good. I could have been way better. but I feel like it was cool for that to be my tune up for sure yeah I was crazy coming off of what you just came off of yeah and then May 2021 you announced the Manny Pacquiao fight yeah how did Manny Pacquiao fight come about I don't know sure Abner just hit me with it like I was like alright bet yeah and then all through camp I was feeling I was feeling bad like I was feeling I was feeling super bad like I was I was messed up and um and I say this again I don't know if it's life God whatever it was God and life I feel like that's the same thing but I got hit my eye during sparring you know what I'm saying I got hit my eye during sparring and I really was still trying to I still was sparring during that time and all that.

1:21:04Went to Vegas. Went to Vegas. And, you know, you had to do the eye thing. I was seeing clouds. I was seeing, it was cloudy. I was seeing clouds. Yeah. It was messed up. And I went to go to the eye doctor. You know, you guys did eye doctor. Get chained and all that. He was like, he was like, what do you, he was like, I think he seen it. But he didn't want to, he didn't, he wanted me to tell him. So he was like, do you see like anything, Closet? I'm like, nah. I'm like, nah. Like, I don't see nothing. He was like, you sure? Yeah, he said you sure? Yeah, he was like, you sure? I was like, nah, I don't see nothing.

1:21:46Like, it looked clear, like I'm good. Trying to get that approval. Yeah, and then he was like, then he stopped. He was like, man, he was like, yo, man, your eye messed up. And I was like, what you talking about, man? Like, my eye, you know what I'm saying, my eye good. And then I really was talking because the dude who was with me, I don't know if he was with PVC or whatever, but he was with me. He was in there or whatever. And I was like, I was trying to tell the doctor, like, man, just let me fight. I'll be good or whatever. I read that. Yeah. I read that. I was like, I'm not tripping. Like, I sign whatever you want me to sign or whatever it is.

1:22:28Like, I don't, like, I'm tripping. I'll fight. I'll be good. I'll make sure. I told him I'll make sure he don't hit me in my eye. I told him I'll make sure he don't hit me in my eye. And he was like, he was like, nah, man, if you fight and you get hit in your eye the right way, he was like, you could be blind to your eye. And I was like, man, I'll sign whatever you need me to sign. Like, just let me fight. He's like, nah, I can't let you fight. And I think, you know, that was a blessing in disguise because if I would have took that fight and something would have happened, you know, I'd be wearing a patch over my eye right now and I wouldn't have had the fights that I had, you know, or made the money that I made or the compliments, things like that.

1:23:18So I just feel like that was a blessing in disguise for me to have to sit down. Man, you sure be getting blessed a lot, man. Man, I don't know. You sure be getting blessed a lot, man. Man, I don't know what it is. I don't, I mean, I'm favored, I guess. I see it. I guess I'm favored, man. I see it. Well, a guy got to intervene in your life, he intervened. Yeah, he intervened. He's like, nah. He like, if I leave it up to you, you go. I'm like, yeah, he leave it up to me, I was just going to crash. He know that, too. He knows. I'm about to shut this down. Y 'all, man, just let me fight. Like, whatever you need me to sign, whatever, like, I do it.

1:23:56Yeah. It's like, nah. And I didn't get why, but even the whole time, like, I had to take, like, a year and some change off. Whatever. And I feel like that rest helped me come back, helped me come back stronger. Because even when I got the Ugas fight, because Ugas beat him, I was like, all right. Like, yeah, y 'all ain't getting me. Yeah, y 'all ain't getting me. I'm on Ugas now. So I got the Ugas fight, and I feel way better. Yeah. Yeah. So you hit me with a DM in August 2021. You was like, I think I was just checking on you about your eye. And he was like, hey, bro, because I respect your opinion, just know I'm not ducking that Crawford fight.

1:24:37He was like, I'm just getting everything in position, and then I'm finna go for it. I was like, all right, for sure, bet. So let me back up just a minute. So y 'all have been having, like, talks here and there. Uh, at that time? No, not at that time. So after that? Yeah, after that. So tell me about that, because, you know, I've interviewed Crawford. He told me about it, and I think that's one of the dopest things, where fighters can sidestep their people for a second, say, no, what you want? Let's talk about it. Y 'all had that conversation. Yeah, because, I mean, we both trying to make it happen, and you know, I had the type of guy, you know what I'm saying, he gonna make sure you maximize, you know, he gonna make sure you get everything you post in your hands on.

1:25:23He gonna make sure you Gucci, because, you know, he worked for the other guy. And me, at first, me and Crawford, we were just talking about, you know, life, talking about his different situation, things like that, you know. Even, like, before he had his baby, I knew about it and all that. Like, we talked about all that. Like, he told me about how he had a baby on the way and this and that, this and that. And, you know what I'm saying? We were just talking and basically, you know, he was saying, you know, what he think he deserved. I was saying, you know, this and that. We're just going over the situation of who was saying what and what was saying this and this and that.

1:26:03Just y 'all? Yeah, just us. Just us on the phone, just talking to them. and I was just telling them, like, bro, I think, how did I tell you what, bro? Because they were trying, at first, was it 65, 45? I don't know. Something like that. And I was like, nah, bro, I think you deserve more or whatever. And I think I did it. What did I do? 64? I think I did 55, 45 or something like that. It was something like that I did. You know what I'm saying? And I went to my people. I was like, man, give them that. I just want to make the fight happen. And they had their reserves about it because they want to maximize.

1:26:47You know, they want to maximize what I get or whatever. But I was like, man, I'm not tripping off that. Just made the fight happen. And plus, I didn't want to be a guy who I could have, but if I would have moved up, I didn't want to have it on my back. Like, man, you're just ducking at work. You're just ducking action. and this and that, oh, he can fight Uglas and this, but he can't fight Crawford and this and that. So I was just like, man, just make it happen. Like, it gotta happen now. Even though I do feel like he probably would've, he would've fired me up to 54, but I was just like, maybe probably having him 47s for, you know, all the titles or whatever, this and that.

1:27:27Come on, let's do it. So we talked about it and, you know, I feel like we made it happen between each other before, you know, it could happen. between the suits. Did y 'all, like, it wasn't no guarantee. They just know what pretty much, like, okay, the gate probably, it's gonna sell out, so that's pretty much gonna be this, sponsorship, site fee. So that's how, pretty much how you can gauge what you're gonna make when you're just going off a percentage. Is that how y 'all did it? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like, it wasn't, it wasn't no guarantee. Yeah. Like. But you knew the fight was, the fight was made, been talked about for years.

1:28:00Everybody wanted to see it. So it wasn't like, we ain't gonna make no money. It just mattered. The question is how much. Yeah, the question was how much you were going to make. So, it wasn't really no guarantees. And I guess they wanted me to maximize everything. So, they was, you know, trying to get a huge number. And I think, you know, it could have happened if, you know, we'd have waited out longer. Oh, really? Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like, I would have got a bigger percentage. Percentage, okay. Yeah. I thought you meant pay-per-view. It probably would have just let Adam do his thing.

1:28:33It probably would have took a couple more months or whatever. You know, Terrence, he a guy, he ain't going. Yeah, he ain't going. You ain't going. Yeah. But I was just like, man, just make the fight happen. You know what I'm saying? And, you know, my people, they made it happen together. Yeah. Going into that camp, you and Derrick have any conversations? Like, look, this is how we got to get down for this fight strategically or even, you know, your strength and conditioning? Y 'all have any talks about that going into that camp? Nope. Come on, E.J. Nope. Biggest fight of both of y 'all's career?

1:29:10Man, that camp was bull. The whole camp? Yeah, bro. Like, I didn't even, like, I didn't spar probably, like, what, six weeks? Yeah, like six, seven weeks. Like, I didn't know sparring. Like, you know, it was just a lot of stuff that went wrong in that camp. Like, even, like, before that, like, the Spawn partners, like, the guys didn't fit. I ain't had no Southpaws in there to Spawn or none of that. Like, it was just all out of whack. But it got to a point to where, you know what I'm saying, I felt like it got to a point to, like, My body felt like even in the Pacquiao fight, I guess I don't know if I was not living up.

1:30:01I was basically living wrong, bro. Even getting ready for Crawford? No, I'm saying before the Crawford fight. Got you. And you can't get in camp thinking. You know what I'm saying? You're not that young when you get in camp and you're thinking everything going to be good now. Nah, even out of camp, you got to live right. So once you get in camp, you know, everything be cool. Just like now. Like, I'm cool now because, you know what I'm saying, I've been living right. Like, I ain't been drinking none of that. Like, still been working out. So once I get in camp, you know, I'm free-flowing. I'm free-flowing.

1:30:36And that camp, bro, everything was just, it was just out of whack. But, you know, and my body was just, it wasn't there, but I wasn't the type of guy who was going. bro if you look at it bro what's the main thing for any organism organism in the world what is main goal to do? I don't know. Whatever kids or whatever it has it's to preserve that and keep that going. So for me I knew that this maximum payout you know it's gonna take care of my family even if I'm not here it's gonna take care of my family. You know what I'm saying? It'll take care of me you know And I didn't know if I was going to box again, ever again.

1:31:20You know what I'm saying? You felt like that before the fight. Yeah, I felt like that before the fight. I didn't know if I was going to box again, ever again. That's why I took so long off. I didn't took this long off. I didn't know if I was going to box again, do anything. So I was like, bro, I'm still going to fight. It is what it is. And I'm not going to make no excuses about it. I'm just going to do what I do. and then whatever criticism come with it, whatever criticism come with it, bro, at the end of the day, I'm joining for a bigger picture. Like, you know, I was hard-headed to do stuff my way, so, hey, I got to be hard-headed too in this sense to, you know, put myself on the altar, man, sacrifice myself.

1:32:05I feel that. I feel that, but what I don't feel is going into that camp. whose job is it to pick the sparring partners and to have that stuff on point? Dirk, he the teacher, right? So when you're not sparring, what are you saying to him? I mean, we just work in the mix. The whole time, you just work in the mix. You would think he would put on some gloves and have me blocking shots, but it was none of that. I'm getting whooped right now. No, this don't, no, man, that's crazy. So when you said your body didn't feel right, what are you feeling? Just feeling weak, depleted. Just feeling out of it, bro.

1:32:56I feel like even if I worked out, I feel like I wasn't getting stronger. like I wasn't getting any muscles or even it don't matter how much ad work I do core work or whatever like it just wasn't translating into you know a better performance or just me being just cut up ripped up and in shape and all this and that I don't know bro I just the whole camp it was just I'll talk about it more when I'm done and I'm retired. Yeah. Like I'll get into like real detail about it and stuff like that because I got proof on certain things. Gotcha. you know, it was just it was just a whole messed up situation.

1:33:42Man, you know, you know, sparring partners they be talking bro. Yeah. And uh, I don't think I heard nothing before the fight. It was after the fight. I was into EJ and they start, you know, they were saying stuff about the camp and stuff like that. You know, you don't know what's true, but Sporn Partners was talking, saying stuff like that. Like, camp wasn't good and he wasn't looking great and all that kind of stuff. Yeah. You know, did you hear some of that? Uh, yeah. Yeah, I heard some of that from, uh, I just heard it now, the dude from, uh, dude from Houston, uh, forgot his name. But yeah, I, yeah, I was, I was hearing some of that too.

1:34:21You know what I'm saying? I mean, he wasn't, he wasn't capping. on it. Like, I mean, training camp was trash at the end of the day. Man, that's crazy. Why them boys got hit with that NDA at the door? You can't tell me non-disclosure? Oh, yeah? Heck yeah, man, because they be talking. Yeah. But, I mean, I wasn't used to none of that because usually I was getting off with my sponsor. They don't want to talk about it. Yeah, they ain't going to talk about it, you know what I'm saying? But at that time, I should have did some NDAs and all that on everybody. Yeah. So how you feeling when you get to Vegas the week of what's your honest mental like your confidence level any doubt I got in Vegas probably like three weeks before the fight I was in Vegas for like three weeks and you know it was just regular regular training like hitting the pads running you know doing trying to do sprints trying to do whatever but just basic basic training bro like it wasn't like ask anybody who was in Vegas in that gym.

1:35:26They didn't see me sparring. Ain't nobody see me sparring. You two weeks out? Two, three weeks out. I didn't spar six weeks out. Brother, come on, bro. I didn't spar six weeks out. Oh, that's hurting my head. I had to take, I got a Cotaron shot in my rib because my ribs were hurting so I had to get a Cotaron shot to get clear for that. Cotazon. Yeah, Cotazon had to get clear for that like the week of the fight. But it was just, you know what I'm saying? A lot of stuff going on But like I said, at the end of the day, I had to get on that. Dang, bro. You know what I'm saying? It sounds like you had the worst possible camp.

1:36:05Oh, yeah. Biggest moment of your life. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. But, you know, as man, you got to do what you got to do. Yeah. I need you to answer this, though. What's up? In the locker room, bro. People saying EJ look sleepy. He look tired. Was it? Because I know this, too. Like, sometimes, bro, like, sometimes you're dealing with a lot of pressure. Yeah. Like, you can get that sleepy feeling. Like, I done felt that. I'm like, bro, wake up. You got to shake yourself. Like, the pressure's so thick. Sometimes it can make you in that state, and you got to kind of snap out of it. What was going on in the corner of pre-fight?

1:36:36I mean, in the locker room before the fight? I was tired, bro. I was like, I ain't really sure. I ain't really sleep like that because I already knew what... You felt it. Yeah, I already knew what... I don't know. Like, bro, in my mind, I thought, like, in my mind, I thought this fight was going to be competitive and, you know, I could win. But, you know what I'm saying? I've been felt it, like, probably for, like, a month and some change. Like, damn, like, but just saying in my head, like, you know what I'm saying? You're doing this for your family. Like, you're doing this for your family. But, you know what I'm saying, I kind of felt like, you know, it could be bad.

1:37:24It could be bad. But at the end of the day, you know, you got to be a man. I wasn't going to not fight. And then I don't know when I was going to return. Like, I could have been returning now three years later type stuff. And I wasn't going to be one of the fighters that do that. So, you know, I had to do what was best for me. Yeah. So you get in the ring, man, and I think early on, he might have buzzed you with a jab or something like that. I didn't have that happen to me. That's a crazy feeling. That jab is strong if it land in the right spot, especially early. Yeah. It's like a right hand or, in his case, a left hand.

1:38:01But as that fight is unfolding, what's going on in your head? Getting caught with shots. You're trying to get your shots, but you're not really landing. I think you landed a couple good shots. I mean, nothing's going on in my head. I mean, I was fighting, bro. You ain't thinking like, dang, it's happening. Like, what I felt is happening. You ain't thinking? Nah, nah. I don't ever. I don't know. I just don't be having them type thoughts in my head. Like, it's happening. Like, you be having them type thoughts? I mean, I be up most of the time, so. I be going. Like, I'm just going. Like, I'm trying to get, I'm trying to fight.

1:38:36Like, that was all in my head. Like, I was just trying to fight. And I guess I'm asking because that had never happened to you before. Yeah. So sometimes in them type of moments, maybe your brain will take you a place that they never took because this has never happened. You always on top. You know what I'm saying? Nah, I was just trying to fight, bro. That's all I was trying to do, just trying to fight. It ain't never occurred to me, like, oh, man, you getting woods and all this and that. Even when I got off the campus, it was just, you know what I'm saying? You didn't hesitate. You just got up.

1:39:08Yeah. I was just fighting, bro. That's just who I am, bro. to anything that Crawford had that night that you wasn't expecting? Man, you would think, like, we would go over, like, him and his South West stands, like, me blocking the jab. We ain't do nothing than Trenton Kent. Man, that's crazy. Hey, we ain't do nothing than Kent. You'd think, like, we'd go over there, like, me keeping my hands right here and catching it and shooting back and all this and that. But it was none of that. Like, when he came out, I was just holding my shit like this. And I was like, you know what I'm saying? It was a lot of stuff that, you know, that could have been different or could have been prevented.

1:39:59Even if I wasn't sparring like that, we could have prevented a lot of things that shouldn't have happened. You know what I'm saying? Like, just simple placement in me. Catching a jab from his sidebar stance and things like that. You wasn't telling him? Like, dear, we got to work on this. Nah.

1:40:22He better than me. I ought to have been talking, bro. I ought to have been talking. I ought to have been talking. Man, bro, that's crazy. That's crazy. Man, if I get stopped in a ninth round, are you coherent? You know where you at? Yeah, for sure. So you just was just hurt? Huh? Yeah, I was just hurt. But you knew where you was at, though. Yeah, yeah, for sure. I knew where I was at. I even got to the locker room. I told him, like, what y 'all looking sad for? I seen that. I seen that. I seen that. Like, what y 'all looking sad for, man? True. Like, you know what I'm saying? It happened. Like, I done did a lot of people like this.

1:41:01Yeah. This will come with it. Yeah. It'll come with the game, man. Y 'all stopped looking so damn sad. Like somebody died. Yeah, I remember that. They had the camera on you when you said that. You know what I'm saying? That's how it was. Was there any party that was relieved that it was over? Been talking about this dude for four, five, six years, whatever it's been? I ain't even think about that. I ain't think about it relieved that it was over, this and that. I'm an even-kill dude, bro. It wasn't that I was relieved, because it's just like it is what it is. Like, damn, like, yeah, it happened and, you know, this and that.

1:41:43But, you know, stuff happened, bro. You got to be a man about stuff that happened like that. Like, some stuff not going to happen in your favor. But, you know, how you going to bounce back and who are you as a man? Yeah. Like, I just had to eat it. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? I didn't like the way it tastes, but I had to eat it. Yeah. What was your first conversation like with Derek? Y 'all talked that night? Nah. Y 'all talked after that? Weeks after? Yeah, we talked a little bit weeks after, but it wasn't really... I came to his house and gave him his check and things like that. I came to his house and gave him his check.

1:42:28You know what I'm saying? And if I was trying to get out of me, I came to your house, bro. In your house. Like, and sat down and gave you a check. You know what I'm saying? What about Al? What's your conversation like with Al after that fight? I mean, our conversation is always pleasant. Even after that? Yeah, even after that. Like, you know, he was just saying it's cool, it's all right. Like, it was always been pleasant. Like, we talked about, you know, certain things. And, you know, even after that, like, that's how I set up my trust. I set up my kids' education trust, you know, just set up a whole lot of stuff.

1:43:08That's when he, you know, hooked me up with, you know, people he worked with in business and things like that and just got everything, you know, situated. There was talk about the rematch. When did that die when you was like it ain't going to happen? Uh, I mean, I never said it wasn't going to happen. and just, you know, I think Al knew the, you know, the, I don't know, I guess Al just knew, you know, what I was going through and he knew that, you know, it couldn't happen no time soon. Like, it just couldn't happen no time soon. Was that hard for you to not try to get that back? Yeah, for sure, for sure.

1:43:51For sure that was hard, for sure. But, you know, I needed that breaking that time off, you know. It definitely was a positive of me taking that long off from boxing, that long off from going to the gym. And just not just physically, but just getting everything right mentally and just becoming more of a, what I say, a functional man rather than just, you know, just being a man, but just being, you know, a man with, you know, morals and standards and, you know, being about my family and really seeing who I say I am on camera. Yeah. A couple more, I'm going to get you out of here. What have you learned about people since that loss?

1:44:37City, people in general. Like, what's some of your takeaways on that? I mean, I wouldn't say people are fake. I just, you know, people are just who they are. Or just because somebody don't check on me or I don't think nothing wrong with them just because, you know, people got their own life. You know, and a lot of these people got bills, they got paid, they got jobs, you know, they got kids, they working. Man, you'd be surprised how many people that live in paycheck to paycheck and just trying to make ends meet. So I really don't take it in a negative where people didn't hit me up or, you know what I'm saying, didn't really just keep in touch with me and things like that.

1:45:23Because at the end of the day, I didn't keep in touch with them either. You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying? It go both ways. They probably like, they ain't white. You know what I'm saying? I never kept in touch with them either. So, you know, I took a full grant of salt, but I also, you know, just got deeper and connected with my family and just, you know, and really just used them. I hugged down to them tight, you know what I'm saying? Because it always been like that. Like something happened to me and I'm always, I go to them and just, you know, ugh. They always been my safe place, you know?

1:45:57And I just learned from that to like, even to today, like, you know what I'm saying? This is my safe place, so I just keep them around. I stay around them because I notice every time I'm with my lady, with my family, nothing bad happens. Hey, it's always when I'm with y 'all. Yeah. So when I'm with y 'all, something bad happens. I told my lady, I'm like, bro, whenever I'm with you or my family, bro, nothing happens. I can't think of anything bad happen when I'm with my family. Yeah. It's when I'm with. Courage isn't different. other people that something happens every time. So I was like, man, hey, to keep stuff from bad for happening.

1:46:39Stay away from y 'all. I'm staying with my family. I'm kicking it with my, every time you see me, you're going to see me with somebody. You're going to see me with one of the kids. You're going to see me with a family member. You're going to see me with somebody. With my lady, like, you're not finna see me out, hanging out, doing this, doing that. Like, you know what I'm saying? None of that. Like, if I'm doing anything, I'm probably not with my lady or I'm in and out. Like, I'm not just sticking around, bro. So the main thing I learned is just, bro, just you're safer with your family. And just, you know, just, you know, people are who they are and everybody got their own life.

1:47:19And, you know, you just got to, you can't take it as negative just because somebody not hitting them up. because you got to look in the mirror. You're not hitting them up either, you know. And they see people know what type of person I am. Like, I'm not the person to be hitting people up. You know, I like to be by myself. Like, I want no guys who sit on the front porch. I sit on the front porch for 45 minutes an hour and just chilling. Just chilling on the porch. Or I sit in the backyard and just out there just chilling. My girl like, where you at? Like, I'm in the back. What's up? She's like, I just want to see where you coming in.

1:47:58I'll be in like that ain't chill. That type of person I am. I like being by myself. I like being secluded, bro. And I think people get that. People get that when they see me or meet me or talk to me and this and that. Either he's one of them guys. He's just a lone wolf. And I'm just embracing that more. I'm like, bro, I ain't got to do this. I ain't got to do that. Straight up. I ain't got to Drangle do this And do that Like if I don't feel Like going somewhere I'm not going to go somewhere I'm not just not going to go Bro like It don't matter what it is Like It was a fight in Houston Last night I ain't go Like I could have went I ain't go Cause I didn't want to be Around all the people Like Like In here It be packed in here Like people in here Ask them I go And read a book Or I go on my Or I be in my room Chilling Or I go for a walk Like Like, I'm just not one of them guys, and I just embrace that.

1:48:58You know what I'm saying? If I don't feel like doing something, I'm not going to do it. No matter what it is. You done earned that right. Like, even I was at the, they announced our fight at the Dave B &B's fight. After the day, I went home. They were trying to get me to go to the fight. I was there. Like, they called Al. Al called me. He was like, bro, you don't have to do nothing you don't want to do. It was like, you earned the right to do whatever you want to do. That's right. I was like, all right, cool. I don't want to go home. I ain't go to the fight I went home, bro. I'm not trying to hang out and kick it and have to shake hands and smile and all this and that.

1:49:35Man, I want to go with my family, bro. Man, I respect you. I got a lot of that in me, too. Yeah. Got a lot of that in me, too. What's the mission now at 36 years old? What's the mission? Why are you still fighting? Let me see. because I feel like I just got something and it be boring, bro.

1:50:01I need some excitement. That's why I wanted to go to Australia. Right. Because, I mean, I could have fought in Dallas and all this and that and I ain't want to go through all the people asking for tickets. Right, right, right. Man, bro. My fights, I be getting, when I fight in Dallas, I be getting out like 40, 50 tickets. And I don't even talk to 40, 50 people. I talk to probably five people, bro. If that. You rotation? Huh? You rotate with about five people? Man. And including them five people, my mom and my daddy. Like, I'm not talking to people like that. My mom and my daddy, my girl, Jordan, and probably one other person, like Popcorn or something.

1:50:38Like, T-Love. Yeah, probably like seven people, bro. RJ. Like, I'm not talking to people like that. And I'm just giving out tickets because, you know, just people. But, you know, man, you even grew up with people and all this and that. I'm your cousin, man. Yeah. Brother, I ain't seen you. All that, like, people coming from New York and all that. Like, you just giving people tickets. And I was like, ain't nobody coming to Australia. Right. Yeah, y 'all ain't doing that. Yeah, you really coming to Australia, you really want to come, so I got you. Yeah, so, but, man, I just feel like I know that, you know, I got a lot left.

1:51:16and for me, it's not, I'm not going to give it all to boxing. You know, it's really a fight-by-fight basis. I might be done after this. You know, it's just all depends. You know, training camp, training camp, man, training camp ain't really, I still got eight weeks left and I'm like, bro, I've been thinking about vacation spots where I'm going. I've been telling my girl, like, hey, man, we finna go here, we finna go there. Like, we finna dip. That's how you know you getting older, bro. Yeah, that's how you know you getting older. Like, the first of this year, bro, I done been, like, four or five different places.

1:51:57Like, I went to St. Martin. I been to D.R. I been to, bro, Aruba. That's dope. Like, two, three more other places, you know. But I'm just telling them, like, yo, we finna go somewhere. But for me, bro, I just want to sit and embrace the moment, bro, because I know this is over one day. It's over one day and it's not coming back. And I don't want to be 10 years down the line like, man, like I should have enjoyed it more. I should have really embraced it more. So, you know, this time I'm going to fully embrace it. You know, live 100 percent, you know what I'm saying, to what I say I'm going to do.

1:52:41and just, you know, and just be in it and just look at everything, embrace everything, and just take everything in. Yeah. And I know I got a lot left, but, you know, like you said, you're not trying to leave everything, you know. Like, he's seeing me spark, Joe, I was like, man, you still got a lot left in the tank, bro. I was like, yeah, but I'm not trying to get everything that's in the tank. Yeah, sure does. So you just got to know when to fold them. and we'll definitely see, but I'm excited about this, bro. I'm excited. It's kind of like a pro debut, kind of, because I ain't fighting so long.

1:53:19Yeah. And people keep asking me, why don't you take a tune-up? Like, bro, like, I don't want a tune-up, bro. You ain't never did it? Yeah, I ain't never done it, bro. I feel like if I take a tune-up, I'm not going to take training lightly, but I don't know. It's just, it's a difference when, you know, like I think they got me down on the eyes or something. So, you know, that excites me, bro. They get me pumped up. Like, oh, they doubted me. So I love the doubts because they had all the doubts with the Danny Garcia, with the U-Gas, you know. They were saying I'm a shell of myself. You know, they're saying this, saying that.

1:53:58So that just get me more excited to show everybody that, But, you know, I am who I say I am. You still got that fire, though. Oh, yeah. I seen in the, uh, and then when y 'all announced the fight, you know, you still got that fire. You try to shake your hand and you had to let him know, like, nah, we ain't going to do that. Oh, nah, that fire, nah. That fire, nah. We ain't going to do that. You ain't going to bump on line and then try to be. I was good to see. He told me, because it might have been because I just seen where he told me he going to do me. like Fundoor did Keith Ernie. And I'm like, bro, like, what?

1:54:38I'm like, all right. And then we trying to be all, you know, I'm like, nah, bro, we not doing that, bro. Like, nah, this ain't that, bro. This ain't that? Yeah, this ain't that, bro. Like, you got to say you going to do this, you going to do that, bro. Yeah. We going to handle it. Yeah. I love to see it, bro. Yeah. Amen. Listen, brother, I appreciate you, man. I appreciate you, bro. Like, like it's so many things about you that, you know, your life is a book, man. And it's still the chapter still being written, you know. Sure. And I appreciate how your rise. I appreciate how you was on top and I appreciate how you dealt with not being on top.

1:55:22Probably more than you being on top because we don't see that. We don't see cats like sticking that out. We don't see cats finding they self and reinventing they self and pressing in further to their family and pressing in further to their faith and just being better after something like that happened. And you done had one hardship after the next, bro. You're still standing and you're still here to talk about it, brother. So I just appreciate you, man. And I know a lot of people are going to get a lot from this interview, man, because we can't just show when we up. We can't just show when the money good and I'm on top, man.

1:55:54When life start lifing and stuff start happening, who are you? and I appreciate you showing the world who you still are brother so man you got my support for life bro and beautiful beautiful story man appreciate you again bro that's it man another great episode as I keep saying we gonna continue to have real conversations with real people these are athletes these are public figures all of that good stuff but they're humans and they're real people and that's why we talk about real things I appreciate y 'all tuning in for another episode of the Art of War All right.