After five years of anticipation, fight fans are about to witness a historic welterweight showdown tonight between WBC/WBA/IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr and WBO champion Terence “Bud” Crawford at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, live on Showtime PPV.
This clash between two of the sport’s undefeated elites promises a fiercely competitive bout, with both pugilists bringing to the table their unique skill sets, power, and high ring IQ. Spence, who has been competing in the welterweight division for almost eleven years, will be seeking to make history by becoming undisputed in the division, an accomplishment he has been building towards since his professional debut back in 2012.
While Spence has steadily climbed the rankings and successfully unified the WBC, WBA, and IBF welterweight titles, his counterpart, Terence Crawford, has been equally impressive. In 2017, Crawford, then the WBC/WBO super-lightweight champion, faced off against WBA/IBF champion Julius Indongo, seizing victory with a devastating left hook in the third round, making him an undisputed welterweight world champion. Subsequently, Crawford moved up to the 147 lbs division and, in June 2018, defeated Jeff Horn to clinch the WBO welterweight title. Since then, Crawford has made five successful title defenses, with his last against David Avanesyan in December.
The idea of a unification bout between these two titans was sparked five years ago during a backstage confrontation at the Maurice Hooker vs. Alex Saucedo event, where both fighters passionately verbalized their belief in their superiority. Since then, fans have eagerly awaited this matchup. Now, the long-awaited face-off is finally happening, promising an electrifying clash. Though Crawford is considered a slight favorite, the fight is expected to be closely contested, given Spence’s renowned inside fighting and high work rate. The winner will be crowned the first undisputed welterweight champion in the four-belt era, a piece of history both fighters are eager to claim. If victorious, Crawford will achieve the remarkable feat of becoming an undisputed champion in a second weight class. Undeniably, this event is set to be a historic landmark in the annals of welterweight boxing.
Image Credit: Premier Boxing Champions