Crawford vs Spence: Time to make it happen…
Terence Crawford vs Errol Spence Jr, for all the welterweight marbles, by the end of 2022. That’s the dream.
In big-time boxing it’s the hope which so often kills you - how many times have we thought a huge fight was right there about to become reality, when just like that it falls apart.
No more superfight blockers
Enough of Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua for just a minute though, we are talking about what is probably the biggest fight in all of boxing right now.
Crawford and Spence are both undefeated, both world champions and both at the peak of their epic powers. They are also no longer aligned to different promoters and broadcast networks.
‘Bud’ (38-0 with 29 wins inside distance) saw his contract with Bob Arum’s Top Rank run out with that stoppage of Shawn Porter in Las Vegas last November. He is now a free agent, aka there are no huge blockers to a fight with Spence.
Errol meanwhile (28-0 with 22 inside distance) is aligned with Al Haymon’s PBC and TV network Showtime, so surely all that we need is for Crawford to sign up for a bona fide superfight?
It did appear in recent years that ego might also get in the way of this bout happening, but in a recent interview with Showtime, Spence softened his stance. Significantly.
He said: “It’s a huge fight for both of us. I don’t see any stumbling blocks. I want it. He want it. I got three belts, he got one belt. That’s the only belt I need to become undisputed welterweight champion of the world. That’s been something I’ve been very adamant about doing, so we’re gonna get it done.”
The odds could not be closer
If you want to know just how good, how close this fight is - check out the likely odds. Sky Bet would make Spence a very slight favourite at 4/5 with Crawford Evens. Literally pick ‘em territory.
Time, as we know, waits for no man, and the time to strike for this massive showdown is now. Crawford will turn 35 later this year, Spence is now 32. This fight will never be bigger.
Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Manny Pacquiao still delivered the most PPV buys in U.S. boxing history when it finally happened in 2015. But the bout itself was a damp squib - imagine how good it might have been when both men were destroying everybody five years earlier in 2010.
Both Crawford and Spence are deserved members of any P4P top 10, they hold all the belts at welterweight. A fight between them is the biggest match which can be made right now.
Just make it happen already…
