After all the talk, all the speculation, all the back and forth.
Terrance “Bud” Crawford put on a thrilling display to become the first male to be undisputed in two weight classes.
He destroyed Errol Spence Jr in a devastating display of switch-hitting, movement, power, and accurate punching, to pummel the three belt champion in nine rounds of sheer dominance.
After the first round, which I narrowly gave to Spence Jr. Crawford took control of the fight, dropping Spence Jr in the second round.
Then dropped him twice more in the seventh, before the fight was stopped in the ninth.
In truth, it could have been stopped from the seventh round. But it was a testament to Spence Jr’s will, strength, determination and warrior-like spirit, to show no quit in him and keep getting up and fighting.
To be fair, he must have known from early in the fight he did not have the strength to trouble or stop Crawford. But to his credit he kept trying.
So, I have to give him respect. However, this is unequivocally Crawford’s era. It was a masterclass and the most one-sided 50/50 fight you could ever see.
The classiness of how Crawford went about his business, especially as the smaller man, was a sight to behold.
If you check his resume, this is something Crawford has done his entire career. Every time it was perceived as a step up in class, he would make a mockery of that step up.
He has eleven stoppages in his last eleven fights, and only Artur Beterbiev has a better stoppage rate of all the current world champions.
It now seems that Spence Jr will invoke his rematch at the 154, light middleweight division.
Though most have warned Spence against an immediate rematch.
I am inclined to think Spence Jr, who has been in the welterweight division his whole career, will be more comfortable at the heavier weight.
However, the way he was so soundly beaten, you have to ask how much residual effects is he experiencing from his car crash in October 2019.
Not to mention being out for the whole of 2021, due to a retina operation that cancelled his fight with Manny Pacquaio.
Though these sound like excuses, Spence Jr was magnanimous in defeat to say he makes no excuses. But for me, these certainly could be factors.
And as much as people don’t want to see a rematch after Crawford’s dominant win. It may not be such a forgone conclusion as everyone thinks.
Regardless, Crawford proved he is exactly what he’s been saying he is.
The undisputed best boxer on the planet, and he did it in style.
Congratulations to you Terence “Bud” Crawford. This is a crown, you earned and deserved.
