By Chris Williams: Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford are on a crash course later this year for an undisputed welterweight championship fight that will settle the question of who the #1 fighter in the 147-lb division is now.
Crawford may not like it but he’s going to have to fight Spence in the trenches if he’s to have any chance of winning. Spence’s tank-like offense is going to be a nightmare for Crawford because he’s never proven himself capable of fighting like that.
The Nebraska native is NOT going to win by putting on his track shoes and sprinting around the ring for 12 rounds, hoping the judges give him an ugly win based on his peck & run style.
As far as Chris Williams is concerned, Spence (28-0, 22 KOs) already proved that he’s the #1 fighter at welterweight last weekend with his devastating tenth-round knockout win over WBA champion Yordenis Ugas in Arlington, Texas.
Spence and Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs) still need to negotiate their fight, and you can’t rule out Terence potentially pricing himself out. But assuming he doesn’t, we’ll see these two unbeaten welterweights potentially battle it out in October or November.
“Following Errol Spence’s tenth round TKO over Yordenis Ugas last weekend, Spence and Terence Crawford began hyping their long-awaited bout on Twitter. Guess what? I hope we see it,” said Stephen A. Smith to ESPN.
The boxing fans that have drunk the kool-aid, believing that Crawford is the big fish at welterweight have been fooled by the careful match-making his promoters at Top Rank have done for his benefit, matching him against low-grade opposition in record-padding.
“I’m praying that we see it. I’m praying that boxing promoters finally give us what the hell we want for a change,” Smith continued.
“Listen, after all this time and all this waiting I’m not so sure anymore that Errol Spence Jr has the upper hand against Terence Crawford. Spence has always been seen as the odds on favorite with Crawford the challenger to the throne.
“But as we hopefully get closer to them actually meeting in the ring, I can’t front. I’m starting to reconsider.
“I love Crawford’s speed and overall boxing ability, the fact that he can change from conventional [right-handed stance] to southpaw, and some of that newfound power too. He’s brought some of that with him.
“Each of his last nine fights ended by KO, TKO, or retirement,” said a gushing Stephen A. about Crawford. “Spence is the odds-on favorite because the brother’s big time, and I’ve got love for him too, always have been,
“But I think it’s a pick ’em y’all, a pick ’em. And when it comes down to it and when we finally get the fight, we crave and so richly deserve, I think I’m going to go with Terence Crawford.
“I’m not sure, but I’m leaning in that direction. I just don’t know, I just don’t know,” said Stephen A, who sounds like he’s unraveling at the realization that Spence could end his vision-thing.
