Boxing News
Errol Spence Still Confident Crawford Fight Will Be Next
Errol Spence Still Confident Crawford Fight Will Be Next
Three-belt welterweight titleholder Errol Spence Jr. is confident that a unification fight against WBO titlist Terence Crawford for the undisputed championship will be finalized and take place later this year.
Since Spence knocked out Yordenis Ugas in the 10th round to unify the WBC, IBF and WBA 147-pound titles on April 16, he has been extremely outspoken about his desire to next fight promotional and broadcast free agent Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs), 34, of Omaha, Nebraska.
Spence (28-0, 22 KOs), 32, of DeSoto, Texas, was ringside on Saturday night at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, for the Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano undisputed junior middleweight title fight — won by close friend Charlo, with whom he shares trainer Derrick James — and reiterated his stance on the fight with Crawford during an interview on the Showtime broadcast with Jim Gray.
“I think it’s gonna happen,” Spence said of the Crawford fight. “It’s a fight I definitely want. I definitely want it this year. So, hopefully, we can make it happen. But I think we can make it happen because I want it, he want it. I think we can come to terms and we can fight this year.”
Spence said his adviser, Premier Boxing Champions’ Al Haymon, is talking to Crawford about the bout.
“It’s just talking stages right now. We’re talking about it now, but he definitely wants the fight,” Spence said. “Al told me he definitely wants the fight and he’s been vocal about wanting the fight. I called him out this year after my fight (against Ugas). I said that’s the guy I want to fight. It’s for undisputed. It’s the biggest fight in boxing. I feel like a lot of fans want to see it. It’s a huge fight for both of us.
Hear more from Errol Spence on fighting Crawford soon in a previous one on one conversation on our “Fight Freaks Unite” podcast by clicking below,
“I don’t see any stumbling blocks. I want it. He want it,” Spence continued on Saturday night.
“I got three belts, he got the 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). It’s something I really want to do, so we’re gonna get it done.”
Since 2000, award-winning reporter Dan Rafael has covered boxing full time and been ringside for thousands of fights, first for five years at USA Today and then for 15 years at ESPN, where he wrote and appeared on various television, radio and streaming programs. In 2013, Dan was honored by the Boxing Writers Association of America with the Nat Fleischer award for career excellence in boxing journalism. Dan brings his great insight to the Big Fight Weekend site, podcast and more!