By Chris Williams: Errol Spence Jr. finally came out firing on Tuesday, saying Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford Jr. has been talking a lot of mess on social media, but he “WON’T answer the phone” to line up a fight.
WBO welterweight champion Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs) has been hounding IBF/WBC champion Spence Jr. (27-0, 21 KOs) on Instagram and Twitter, but when ‘The Truth’ tried to get in touch with the Nebraska native, the phone went unanswered.
Spence fired off a Tweet on Tuesday before apparently deleting it for some unknown reason. Perhaps, Spence wanted to keep things on the down-low and not SHAME Crawford for failing to back up his words by picking up the phone, so they could get the fight put together.
If that’s why Spence deleted his post, you got to give him credit for being a class act and taking the high road rather than rubbing Crawford’s nose in it for failing to respond to his call.
Errol could have royally shamed Crawford, but instead, he deleted the post, not wanting to make him look bad.
Spence SCOLDS Crawford
Maybe this has all been a THEATRICAL production by Crawford, calling out Spence and acting like he’s interested in gaining popularity the easy way by name-dropping so that the casuals believe he’s at the same talent level as Errol.
Name dropping works, and it’s used all the time in boxing by fighters that have achieved less than the stars.
One problem that will forever prevent the Spence vs. Crawford fight from happening is Terence’s assistance on a 50-50 split.
Crawford ISN’T a PPV fighter, and it doesn’t matter that he’s captured world titles in three weight classes and is highly ranked in the pound-for-pound lists.
Spence is the guy who brings in the dough, not Crawford when it comes to PPV. It doesn’t matter that Crawford holds the WBO 147-lb belt after beating a half dozen mediocre welterweights.
Crawford would need to show that he can bring in the PPV buys to get parity with Spence, and thus far, he’s failed miserably in that department.
Hearn feels sorry for Crawford
“I think he’s the best welterweight in the world,” said Eddie Hearn to iFL TV in raving about Crawford. “But at the same time, where are the fights that are going to generate the kind of money that he wants?
“Really, that’s Errol Spence,” Hearn continued. I think you’re going to see Errol Spence move up to 154 to avoid Terence Crawford. ‘Avoid’ is maybe a harsh word, but strategically avoid.
“I feel a bit sorry for Crawford, not in some ways, but in the ways that I think he wants to create that legacy opportunity, and I’m not sure it will be there for him,” said Hearn.
Chris Williams doesn’t know where Hearn got the idea that Spence will be moving up to 154, but whoever planted that crazy idea into his head needs to avoid that person in the future.