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Joey Spencer faces Dan Karpency in first fight since breaking right hand

Photo by Dr. Ed De La Vega
Fighters Network
27
Jul

Unbeaten junior middleweight prospect Joey Spencer will face Dan Karpency in a scheduled eight-round contest at Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey on Saturday.

It marks the first time the 21-year-old has fought since breaking his hand earlier this year.

“I’m excited, I feel good,” Spencer (12-0, 9 knockouts) told The Ring. “I did a lot of hard work in the off-time, I stayed in the gym and worked on what I could, even though I didn’t have my right hand. I definitely didn’t waste any time.”

Spencer expects the teak-tough Pennsylvania native to provide stern opposition.



“I saw a fight of his and he fought a tough, durable, strong pressure fighter and ate some big shots and never buckled,” he said. “What I want is to get some rounds, with a guy who can stay in there with me and let me show my skill set. 

“I’m hoping to be able to put together a systematic breakdown in this fight and win in good fashion.”

Having missed out on fighting in April due to the hand injury, Spencer hopes to fight twice more this year, while looking to step up in the process.

“If I come out unscathed, I’m going to take two-weeks off and then get right back in the gym for September,” said Spencer, who has so far not been past six-rounds. “[Then] late December, around Christmas time, I’ll be fighting again. 

“I want to get the rounds [under my belt] before I go to 10-rounds. I don’t want my first fight going rounds to be a 10-rounder and not having gone eight-rounds. I’m trying to get the rounds.”

Spencer from Linden, Michigan, trains diligently with his father, Jason, in nearby Holly, 15 minutes from his home, to continually improve.

“There’s little things as we go on as pros, every fight has something new, I realize I need to work on,” he explained. “There’s small technical things, like my stance and my chin was a little high.

“I’m fighting eight-rounders right now, as I go out to 10 and 12-rounds, trying to get some of those rounds as the competition improves. Continuing to be honed in and ready for those 12-round championship fights when I get there.”

The talented boxer-puncher first gained acclaim when he headed to northern California as a teenager and worked out at Virgil Hunter’s gym.

During that time, he was able to add extra layers to his game sparring several top professionals.

“Mario [Barrios] was really good work,” he said. “[Amir] Khan with the speed was definitely different from a lot of guys. [Julian] J-Rock [Williams], [I] sparred a couple of different camps with him, was older, and experienced. I’ve sparred Erislandy Lara since then, that was great work, the Cuban southpaw is extremely technical.”

But for now, Spencer intends to showcase his ability on Saturday.

“I’m excited to be back in the ring,” he said. “It’s what I love to do. I can’t wait to get there and have a fight.”

Karpency turned professional in 2013. The 30-year-old from Pennsylvania hasn’t been stopped in any of his three loses. It will be interesting to see if Spencer can become the first to do so.

Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at [email protected] and you can follow him on 

Twitter@AnsonWainwright

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