It looks like the relationship between trainer Derrick James and former welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. is irretrievably broken. The two have filed dueling lawsuits against each other in Texas state court, with James claiming Spence underpaid him by millions of dollars, particularly on Spence's last fight, a multi-million dollar payday in a unification fight against Terence Crawford fight last July. Unless there is a written contract that states something different, a trainer normally receives ten percent of a boxer's purse. In this case, James is not alleging a written contract, but rather, he claims Spence received substantially more payments for the Crawford fight than what was listed on Spence's official bout agreements submitted to the boxing commission and sanctioning body. James's legal position is that he should receive ten percent of the true payment amount to Spence, not just the lower figure listed on the bout contract. Often times, an artificially low number is put on a bout contract to reduce sanctioning fees and tax withholding. James is alleging the discrepancy is so big that the he is entitled to up to five million more than what Spence paid him. Spence also filed a lawsuit, seeking a declaration that he doesn't owe James anything.

 

Spence was resoundingly defeated by Crawford and has no fights currently scheduled.