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Boxing champ Errol Spence Jr. hospitalized after being ejected from Ferrari in Dallas

Posted at 12:16 PM, Oct 10, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-10 12:16:58-04

LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 28: Referee Jack Reiss in in the ring with Erroll Spence Jr. after he defeated Shawn Porter (not pictured) in their IBF & WBC World Welterweight Championship fight at Staples Center on September 28, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Spence, Jr won by decision. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

Welterweight boxing champion Errol Spence Jr. was thrown from a Ferrari early Thursday while driving in Dallas, but he is expected to survive, police say.

Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the crash, they say, but Spence was driving at a high rate of speed on the outskirts of downtown when he veered over a median and flipped his white Ferrari multiple times.

The wreck ejected the world champion pugilist, who was not wearing a seat belt, police said.

Video from the scene showed most of the rear body of the sports car mangled or missing, exposing parts of its engine. The front right fender was peeled back, and the trunk was crumpled and open.

The 29-year-old boxer is in intensive care, police said. He is being treated at Methodist Dallas Medical Center, CNN affiliate KTVT reported.

“The only info we have is that he’s in the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries,” said Tim Smith, a spokesman for Premier Boxing Champions, which represents Spence.

Spence, who is known as “The Truth,” is one of the best boxers in the world, with a record of 26-0. He won 21 fights by knockout.

A 2012 Olympic quarter-finalist, the southpaw has held the IBF welterweight belt since 2017. He became the unified champion last month, winning the WBC welterweight title in a split decision against “Showtime” Shawn Porter.

Porter wished his rival a speedy recovery following news of the accident.

“My dad always tells me ‘this boxing thing is a part of your life but it’s not going to last forever. U still have a lot of life to live after that.’ With that, I’m praying for @ErrolSpenceJr & his family because he has a lot of life to live and I pray he recovers quickly & fully,” Porter tweeted.