PBC/Showtime Confirm Errol Spence vs. Terence Crawford

Wednesday afternoon saw Premier Boxing Champions and Showtime make it official: Errol Spence and Terence Crawford will meet for the undisputed world welterweight title July 29th in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The fighters had already “broken” the news themselves last week that after years of back and forth, the unified WBC/WBA/IBF champion Spence and the WBO titleholder Crawford are set to go.

From the official release:

“… Errol “The Truth’’ Spence Jr. will take on WBO 147-pound world champion Terence “Bud’’ Crawford for the Undisputed Welterweight World Championship on Saturday, July 29 in a highly anticipated SHOWTIME PPV clash from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The winner of this battle of undefeated superstars will become the first undisputed welterweight world champion in the four-belt era and likely emerge as the sport’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter. Spence vs. Crawford joins Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns, Pernell Whitaker vs. Julio César Chávez and Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao, as a generational matchup of two popular stars whose dynamic and aggressive styles should produce an instant classic. Both Spence and Crawford have reached the pinnacle of boxing’s glamour division with their sublime skills and can stamp themselves alongside 147-pound legends like Leonard, Mayweather, Sugar Ray Robinson and Pacquiao, with a win on July 29.

Spence and Crawford have been circling each other since Crawford became a welterweight champion in 2018, and now, IT’S ON!

Pre-sale tickets are available tomorrow, Thursday, June 1 from 10 a.m. PT until 10 p.m. PT through AXS.com by using the code: BOXING

Public on-sale begins Friday, June 2 at 10 a.m. PT with tickets available through AXS.com. The event is promoted by Man Down Promotions, TBC Promotions and TGB Promotions.

“I’m truly excited to be a part of the biggest fight in boxing and the best welterweight matchup of the century,” said Spence. “Terence Crawford is a great fighter and our styles are going to make for a great fight. I told him and the world what I was going to do after I captured my first welterweight title and it’s been strap season ever since. On July 29, I’m going to put on a tremendous performance and become the undisputed king of the welterweight division. This is truly going to be a night to remember, one where history is made, and I want everyone to be a part of it.”

“The fans and I have both wanted this fight for years and now it is finally happening,” said Crawford. “This truly is a once in a generation fight, so come out to T-Mobile Arena or tune in to SHOWTIME PPV for the biggest fight in boxing. On July 29, I look forward to making history and becoming two-time undisputed champion of the world.”

As we wrote last week, 

The 33 year old Spence, 28-0, has been haggling with Crawford ever since his last title defense, where he stopped Yordenis Ugas in 10 rounds in April of 2022 to gain the WBA belt. Spence is considered the “A side” of this showdown holding the more coveted three titles. And, Spence has also repeatedly fought on pay-per-view in front of large audiences, including three times in front of large stadium crowds in world title showdowns at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. He has world title wins over Kell Brook, Mikey Garcia and Shawn Porter.

Th 35 year old Crawford is 39-0, but elected to put the possible Spence undisputed fight on hold last Fall and instead made a WBO title defense in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska against David Avanesyan in December. Crawford TKO-ed Avanesyan in front of a roaring sold out downtown Omaha Arena. Crawford is the former undisputed 140 lb. world champion, as well.

While it doesn’t quite rise to the level of the epic first meeting between Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas “Hitman” Hearns for welterweight supremacy 42 years ago in Las Vegas, this bout is still in that neighborhood of significance.

Five decades ago, Leonard and Hearns were both in their mid-twenties and had become sensational fighters on network TV before eventually fighting in their mega-fight on closed circuit TV in September of 1981. Leonard ended up rallying and stopping Hearns in the 14th round handing “the Hitman” his first defeat.

Spence and Crawford are both older, in their 30s, and that’s part of the frustration from observers and fans that they could have seemingly agreed to fight at least a couple of years ago against each other.

Now, finally, the two are slated to meet in one of the more highly sought after fights in the back half of 2023.