"I think he is a great fighter. I see a couple of things we have to do to be successful. We have to be on our A-game at all times, 100%. If we have to go to a B or C game plan, we can do that also. We expect the best Kell Brook because he has to be the best he can be to beat an Errol Spence...if Kell Brook is that great, he's going to bring that great fighter out of Errol. Errol's going to have to dig deeper and deeper and do something a little different to be successful," stated Derrick James, world-class trainer of top welterweight contender Errol Spence Jr., who talked about their upcoming clash with IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook. Check it out!
PC: The pinnacle in boxing for a trainer/fighter combo is to fight for a world title. You guys have reached that pinnacle. How has preparation been for this fight?
DJ: Everything has been good. It's just been a lot of hard work and good sparring and a lot of people coming in collaborating and helping out with the sparring. I'm happy about it. We are at the point where this is the beginning; the first couple of steps. Each fight, I always talk to Errol and I say, "One more step. One more step towards our ultimate goal that we want to obtain." This is just the next step because he wants to be an undisputed world champion.
PC: You are a trainer that likes to break down the opponents you are facing. Now that you have watched Kell Brook and studied his style and tendencies as opposed to just watching him on the fly, what do you think of him?
DJ: I think he is a great fighter. I see a couple of things we have to do to be successful. We have to be on our A-game at all times, 100%. If we have to go to a B or C game plan, we can do that also. We expect the best Kell Brook because he has to be the best he can be to beat an Errol Spence. That's what I'm expecting and looking forward to.
PC: Have you guys ever had to tap into a plan B of plan C for a fight? Not saying you haven't had to make adjustments, but have you had to deviate from the game plan that you came to the ring with so far?
DJ: We always work on several things and different strategies that we may have to rely on. In one fight, we did something a little different, but no, we haven't really had to tap into the depth of his knowledge and the depth of his skills. Like I always say, if Kell Brook is that great, he's going to bring that great fighter out of Errol. Errol's going to have to dig deeper and deeper and do something a little different to be successful. I look for that and I hope that he is that guy that everybody says he is and that I see on the video because if so, you will have to see the best Errol Spence and that version of him will show up.
PC: Any concerns about this being Errol's longest career layoff and that he's gotta go across the pond to win this title or are you that confident in your athlete where none of this concerns you?
DJ: We're dealing with a guy who was an Olympian. He's got experience in fighting in other countries around the world and fighting in peoples' backyards. The Olympics is pretty much professional fighters with amateur status. If you look at what Rigondeaux did and what Lomachenko did, and also Anthony Joshua, these guys were Olympians, so they have a certain amount of experience that other guys don't have. I see no problem with going over there. This is just a formality. It's part of the process to where sometimes you have to go to the other guy's backyard and that's okay. To get what you want in life, sometimes you have to do things that are very uncomfortable. It's so much about the process and being part of the process and being successful to where it teaches you moving forward. That's his hometown; that doesn't bother me at all. He is the champion and that was part of the negotiations to go over there. It's fair and we don't have a problem with that. I like the UK anyway.
PC: You guys are going out 2 weeks early to get acclimated to everything. How important is that?
DJ: It's very important. Their food is a little different from ours. The time is different, as everyone knows. It's all about getting adjusted to where we make this fight just as comfortable as if we were fighting in the States. We were there for the press conference and we look forward to going over there. We have a great contention and on the 20th, we do what we love to do. We will go watch Gervonta Davis and go support the other American fighter.
PC: Do you think too much is made of Kell Brook being a "big" welterweight? That's talked about a lot. Do you think that's an overstated point?
DJ: It is an over-talked point because if you look at it, Vernon Forrest was 6'0, Paul Williams was nearly 6'3, Sugar Ray Leonard was 5'10, and Tommy Hearns 6'2, so 5'9 is not big. I think that in this day and age, fighters are fighting out of the weight class that they should be fighting at and he's a guy that's fighting in his right weight division. He's 5'9 and 147 pounds. Errol is taller than him, so I don't think his size will be a factor. They talk about it too much. I think that he's fought smaller guys in the past or shorter guys in the past and guys that probably shouldn't even be fighting at welterweight. It's over-stressed because now he's fighting a guy that is a half a inch taller or an inch taller, so there's nothing to talk about.
PC: Seeing his body of work during this training camp, are you 100% pleased with what you have seen?
DJ: I'm very satisfied with the body of work he's put in and the help we got from Jermell Charlo, Rob Brandt, Adrian Taylor, John Vera Jr., and Jarvis Shepard. All of these guys are undefeated fighters and all of these guys came in...we also sparred twice with Daquan Arnett. I think he is 15-1. All of these guys are top contenders, are prospects, and they came in to get work. As Errol and Robert Brandt like to say, iron sharpens iron and you saw Jermell's performance. Everything translated over to Jermell and Errol got it too and I'm happy about it. I'm happy these guys came together to help their brother and their stablemate get ready and gave him some great work.
PC: You have been with Errol for a long time now. What would that moment be like for you, the moment they announce his name as the new champion of the world?
DJ: It will be very special. It's been a great collaborating task from his mother and father, my wife, my kids and his sisters. For us, it will be great. From trainer to fighter, we have come a long way together. It's a very special thing and I'm happy I have been part of the process to help a young man become a world champion. That's always special, especially because we've been together for so long. This summer will be like 9 years. It's phenomenal and I can't put it into words what it would be like, but it's just one more step, as I said. Once we get it, it's all about keeping it and moving forward and grabbing more championships.
PC: I can't wait till the fight. Good luck to you and Errol and we will speak when you return. Is there anything else you want to add before I let you go?
DJ: Thanks for all of the love and support from Adrian Taylor, Jarvis Shepard, John Vera Jr., Jermell Charlo, and Rob Brandt; everybody who helped out and contributed to this camp! I'm just happy to be on Team U.S., man, and thank you!
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]