Spence defeats Ugas, calls out Terence Crawford

By Boxing News - 04/17/2022 - Comments

By Chris Williams: IBF/WBC welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs) added the WBA title to his collection of belts at 147 on Saturday night with a tenth-round knockout win over champion Yordenis Ugas (27-5, 12 KOs).

After the fight, Spence, 32, called out WBO champion Terence Crawford, saying he was going to go and take his belt from him. The way that Spence fought tonight, he’ll have a great chance of beating Crawford.

Spence battered Ugas to the point where the referee needed to stop the action in the tenth round to march the Cuban fighter over to the ringside doctors so he could examine his injured eye. The fight was stopped by the doctor.

Many boxing fans believe Spence was hurt in the sixth round when he turned his back to Ugas. However, Spence said he turned around because he was looking to put his mouthpiece back in.

He says he thought the referee had called a time out, and he wasn’t ready for Ugas to keep throwing punches once he stopped to put his mouthpiece back in.

“My nutritionist helped a lot. He was making sure I was eating right, and making sure I was drinking water, not junk food, and I lost the weight properly without using a sauna suit, sitting in a sauna,” said Errol Spence Jr. after the fight.

“I lost the weight the way I’m supposed to by scientific, and he did a great job and I got down to 147 lbs and I was looking strong,” said Errol.

“Just my work in the gym. I felt a little off in my timing, but I knew I was going to catch on later in the rounds. So I just kept working and kept throwing punches.

“Sometimes I was being overpatient and throwing punches and picking my shots. I think that was due to my long layoff, and I was super excited to get back in the ring and I was trying to push the pace more than I needed to.

Image: Spence defeats Ugas, calls out Terence Crawford

“I thought the ref had said, ‘Stop,’ so I stopped, and then he [Ugas] hit me with three or four shots,” said Spence on why it looked like he was hurt in the sixth round by Ugas.

“That’s my fault. That was a rookie mistake myself. You’re supposed to protect yourself at all times, and I didn’t do that. I wasn’t out on my feet. I turned and looked at my mouthpiece, and then he hit me. Then he kept hitting me

“When I tried putting my hands up, he had stopped anyway because the ref had got there. I believe you’re going to go through trials and tribulations,” said Spence about his eye injury and car crash.

“I went through a lot of trials, and I got tested. I passed the tests to my upbringing with my mother and my father and my upbringing, telling me not to quit and give up and believing in myself and my family. Not wanting to prove them wrong and wanting to come back.

“Why would I quit now, and I can come back and still be at my best. I just got to train hard, stay focused, listen to my coach, and stay out of the way.

“Everybody knows who I want next. I want Terence Crawford next,” said Spence. “Definitely,” said Errol when asked if he was going to make the Crawford fight happen.

“That’s the fight I want, that’s the fight everybody else wants. Like I said, I’m going to get these straps, and then go over and take his s*** too.

“Man Down, strap season. You know what time it is, baby,” said Spence. “Terence, I’m coming for that mother f*** belt,” said Errol in sending a message to Crawford.

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