Bradley’s claim

That’s an optimistic reading for Errol Spence Jr. as he prepares for a rematch against 154-pound Tim Tszyu in Australia in June. The harder question is whether this version is actually gone.

In two races since his 2019 crash, Spencer hasn’t looked like himself. Against Danny Garcia, he clearly won, but he moved like a heavier man and relied more on buildup than quickness. Against Yordenis Ugas, he absorbed early right hands from Spence that often choked or rolled away.

The pressure is still there, but the sharpness is not. By the time he met Terrence Crawford, it felt like the erosion was complete. Crawford added more water, controlled distance, and punished Spence in exchanges that once belonged to him.

Bradley did not discuss this in detail. He focused on recovery.

“When you start training from a young age … and have that period of rest, I’m pretty sure it will do wonders,” he said.

In theory, the science is sound. Decades of hard concentration create a deep, structural inflammation that a standard six weeks of rest cannot touch. Boxing fights pile up like debt, and brutal weight cuts eventually take their toll on a boxer’s organs.

A three-year hiatus is an eternity in this game, but it offers something rare: an entire system reset. It allows the nervous system to finally quiet down and gives a person a chance to actually train for combat rather than just take damage in preparation. If the wear and tear isn’t permanent, such a long break is how a boxer can eventually recuperate.

Bradley also thinks the matchup is good for Spence. “Earl is going to stop,” he said of Tsiyu.

His reasoning upends the discussion of attrition, as Tszyu has been severely punished in recent years, from a bloody defeat to Sebastian Fundora, to tough bouts against Terrell Gausha and Tony Harrison, to a stoppage loss to Bakhram Murtazaliev. Bradley sees Tsyu as a fighter who may be closer to the edge physically.

That may be the only path to this comeback, as three years of quiet at age 35 doesn’t automatically lead to improvement. Time away can heal small wounds, but it can also make timing dull and urgent. While Spence has earned the right to live a good life, comfort doesn’t always make a fighter sharper.

The jab will tell you the answer

It also creates uncertainty as new divisions light up the field against pressure fighters at home in a hostile arena.

We don’t need five rounds to find out. When the bell rings, the truth will be revealed. If his jab packs a punch and his legs look strong when he walks into the fire, then the layoff is a success. But if the fist floats and the reaction lags even for a moment, we know that the rest of the action didn’t really bring him back. It simply pauses the inevitable.