Quick Thoughts: Errol Spence Jr. & Terence Crawford
By Eddie Sanchez
Terence Crawford won his legacy fight, or that is, he has solidified his legacy up until this point. In a nine-round demolition, including three knockdowns, Crawford thoroughly outclassed Errol Spence Jr. Boxing fans are now left to wonder what is next!
Crawford has improved to (40 – 0), is now the only man in the four-belt era to have earned undisputed status in multiple weight classes, and is a three-division world champ, having won the Ring Magazine belt in each of those weight classes. On the other foot, Spence Jr. is left to contemplate his next steps. Spence Jr. will have to trigger his rematch clause by the contracted deadline that ceases in 30 days time from fight night (August 28, 2023) if he intends to fight Crawford once more. Will that be enough time for ‘The Truth’ to recover both physically and emotionally? We shall see.
For the sake of Errol’s livelihood, my hope is that he considers maneuvering against the immediate rematch. In 2019, Errol Spence Jr. was ejected from his Ferrari that was traveling over 140 mph at the time of his self-imposed crash. He suffered multiple lacerations, a broken jaw, and lost multiple teeth. Given the potential at impact, it’s a miracle he did not suffer further damage to his body, let alone die. In 2021, mere weeks from the biggest fight of his career, a PPV date with Manny Pacquiao, Spence suffered a torn retina in sparring which halted that opportunity. In 2022, Spence suffered a lower body injury stemming from a head-on collision from an underaged driver running a red light. And most recently, on July 29, 2023, Terence Crawford beat the brakes off this man in a career defining fight. It may be best to walk away, or at least take steps to build his confidence and health back up before jumping back into those deep waters.
For Crawford, the sky is the limit. Options are bountiful, and his legacy has the potential to skyrocket. The options are simple: rematch Errol Spence Jr. (assuming Spence triggers the clause), defend his belts against rising 147-pound contender Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis, challenge #1 ranked Junior Middleweight contender Tim Tszyu, or challenge the Undisputed Junior Middleweight Champion, Jermell Charlo, following Charlo’s fight against Canelo Alvarez.
Each of these options are great for Crawford, though my hope are that his next two fights be against Charlo and Tszyu in no particular order. The potential for earning the undisputed Junior Middleweight crown against the top two fighters in the division is not only intriguing, but would cement his status as one of the most opportune challengers in boxing history. His name would be mentioned amongst the Four Kings, Oscar de la Hoya, Sugar Ray Robinson and Manny Pacquiao, among others. AND, he would have the potential to do so while earning these accomplishments as an undefeated champion like Floyd Mayweather and Andre Ward.
For the sake of Terence Crawford’s career, it would be great for him to not have to postpone the opportunity to add layers to his legacy with a contracted rematch, and similarly, it would be great for Spence Jr. to heal properly. A rematch would likely do little for either men besides further lining their pockets with cash. While not insignificant, Crawford is fortunate to be in a position to earn similarly with new challenges. One thing is certain though; the picture will become clearer by August 28, 2023.
The clock is ticking.
Do you want to see Terence Crawford fight Errol Spence Jr. a second time? Or would you rather see him move up in weight to challenge Tszyu and Charlo?
