Speed was not Carr’s only weapon in this hypothetical matchup. In the second round of his December 1994 title fight with Trinidad, he timed a quick right hand that dropped the dangerous champion. Trinidad recovered and stopped Carr in the eighth, but the knockdown showed Carr’s ability to identify an opening and punish an elite puncher ahead of the return fire.
That straight right would be especially important against the southpaw Spence. Carr had the hand speed to fire between Spence’s deliberate advances, then follow with combinations that prevented Spence from establishing his body attack. Crawford used different footwork and possessed a far broader offensive arsenal, but Carr owned enough of the necessary tools to exploit the same declining reactions.
Further evidence came during Carr’s 12 rounds with Quartey, whose stiff jab was faster and more punishing than Spence’s. Two judges had Quartey well ahead, so the majority decision was not as close as the official result suggests. Carr still handled that jab for the full distance and continued returning fire against a powerful natural welterweight.
The 2019 car crash, retinal injury and years of forcing his body down to 147 gradually removed Spence’s best qualities. He defeated Yordenis Ugas, but no longer possessed the reactions or physical condition of his earlier years. By the Crawford fight, he looked depleted and was taken apart in nine rounds.
Prime Spence would make it a much closer contest. His size, body punching and physical pressure would test Carr, who was dropped twice by former lightweight champion Livingstone Bramble before escaping with a disputed split decision in 1991. The damaged Spence seen later in his career would struggle to impose those advantages early enough to stop Carr’s speed from taking control.
The depth of the 1990s placed Trinidad, Quartey, De La Hoya and Pernell Whitaker at the top of the division. Missing out on a belt against those champions did not place Carr below championship level. In Spence’s fragmented era, he would have found several opportunities to collect one.
An empty championship column hides Carr’s quality. He had the speed, power and experience to beat the diminished Spence, even if Crawford remained a level beyond him.
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