THE FIGHT OF THE CENTURY
Finally, boxing fans will get what they have been waiting years for.
The current WBC, IBF, and WBA welterweight titleholder Errol Spence Jr, and current WBO welterweight titleholder Terence Crawford agreed to a Las Vegas fight on July 29th.
Although boxing fans will be jubilant at this news. It will be met with much trepidation as we have been here before.
Errol Spence Jr’s miraculous escape from what could have been a career-ending car crash in Oct 2019 almost ended any talk of a fight with Crawford.
There was previous talk about a fight supposedly happening in late November 2022, which didn’t materialise. Not to mention being on different fight promotions, which brings various issues.
However, I must give credit to the lightweights. Something in me says if it wasn’t for Davis and Garcia locking horns, then Haney and Lomachenko, this fight probably would not been agreed upon so soon after.
But it has hopefully all led to this. An undisputed welterweight fight, arguably the best and most anticipated fight of boxing’s modern era.
What makes it even more exciting and anticipated is at 33 & 35. it’s feasible to say they are still at their best, most peak condition, which should make for a thrilling fight with no excuses.
It’s a fight for the ages where it’s conceivable we could see a rematch and depending on those results, a possible rubber match. But I am getting ahead of myself.
However, there will still be questions. Does Spence Jr have any residual effects from his 2019 car crash?
Although he has put in two decent displays since, beating Danny Garcia via points in December 2020.
Then an even more impressive display, as he stopped Yordenis Ugas in April 2022 to capture the WBA title, to add to his IBF & WBC welterweight titles.
If there ever were a man to exploit if Spence Jr had any lasting effects, it would be the WBO champion, Terence Crawford. He is also not without adversity after being shot in the head four fights into his professional career.
His last ten opponents have failed to see the final bell. His hand speed and power have been a frightening feature of these last ten wins.
As much as they both have an unbelievable arsenal, the fight could be more about who can take a punch. It is touch and go to say who has been in more wars.
But with Crawford being two years older and having eleven more fights than Spence Jr, you could say he is more on the weary side.
However, you can equally say he is more experienced and faced more diverse opponents than Spence Jr.
If there was a key to this fight, for Spence Jr it would be those crippling and brutal body shots. Even when a fighter thinks he has it covered, he would find a gap, and destroy the body.
Crawford, on the other hand, is one of the best switch-hitters in the game. His Ambidextrous qualities allow him to have knockout power in both hands.
If we are splitting hairs, we could look at the two fighters they have in common, Kel Brook and Shawn Porter. Crawford had more convincing wins against both.
However, Spence Jr fought and beat both fighters first, so you can argue there were both fresher, more confident and less battled weary.
The only hope now is nothing changes; and there are no hiccups. Judging by the first few press conferences, neither seems prepared to give an inch verbally, which will bode well for the rest of the build up and the fight itself.
A fight bound to be the biggest of this modern era in boxing, a fight almost five years in the making, is now just a few weeks away. So saddle up, strap in and let’s get ready to rumble.
