Errol Spence Jr. vs. Terence Crawford explained

Fight Name:Undefeated. Undisputed. Unprecedented.
Fight Date:July 29, 2023
Location:T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, Nevada
Titles:WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, WBO, and vacant The Ring/TBRB undisputed welterweight titles
Fighter1:Errol Spence Jr.
Nickname1:The Truth
Hometown1:Dallas, Texas
Record1:28–0 (22 KO)
Height1:5 ft 9 in[1]
Weight1:147 lb
Style1:Southpaw
Recognition1:WBA (Super), WBC, and IBF welterweight champion
The Ring No. 4 ranked pound-for-pound fighter
Fighter2:Terence Crawford
Nickname2:Bud
Hometown2:Omaha, Nebraska
Record2:39–0 (30 KO)
Height2:5 ft 8 in[2]
Weight2:146+3/4 lb
Style2:Southpaw
Recognition2:WBO welterweight champion
The Ring No. 3 ranked pound-for-pound fighter
3-division world champion
Result:Crawford wins via 9th-round TKO

Errol Spence Jr. vs. Terence Crawford, billed as Undefeated. Undisputed. Unprecedented., was a welterweight professional boxing match between unified WBA Super, WBC and IBF champion, Errol Spence Jr., and WBO champion, Terence Crawford. The fight took place on July 29, 2023 at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada.

Crawford defeated Spence via ninth-round technical knockout to become the first male to win the undisputed championship in two weight classes in the four belt era.[3] The fight reportedly sold 700,000 PPV buys, generating over $59 million in revenue. It also generated over $20 million from ticket sales.[4] [5]

Background

In November 2018, American professional boxers Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford came face to face at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. They exchanged words, expressing their desire to face each other.[6] In April 2019, Crawford defeated English boxer Amir Khan via technical knockout and called out Spence to a bout.[7] In November 2020, Crawford defeated Kell Brook, the first common opponent between Spence and Crawford, via technical knockout. Crawford called out Spence once again.[8] In April 2022, Spence returned from a career-threatening surgery after he was involved in a single-vehicle accident in October 2019.[9] He defeated Cuban boxer Yordenis Ugás via technical knockout and proceeded to call out Crawford.[10]

In September 2022, Spence and Crawford were on the verge of a deal after months of negotiations for November 19.[11] However, negotiations collapsed at the 11th hour.[12] On October 20, Crawford told ESPN;

That same day, Spence replied on Twitter stating;

In December, Crawford defeated Russian boxer Avanesyan via knockout.[13] In March 2023, Spence and Crawford revealed that they had a roughly 30-minute phone call in February with getting the deal over the line after Spence appeared headed for a fight with American boxer Keith Thurman at 154 pounds.[14]

On May 23, ESPN reported that Spence vs Crawford agreed to a July 29 deal fight for the undisputed welterweight championship in Las Vegas.[15] On May 25, it was announced that Spence and Crawford would face each other on July 29 at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada for the WBA Super, WBC, IBF and WBO welterweight titles.[16]

The fight

Crawford dominated and won the fight by a ninth-round technical knockout to became the first undisputed welterweight champion since 2006 and the first male boxer in the four-belt era to claim undisputed championship status in two weight divisions.[17] By that point, he had out-landed Spence 185 to 96 in total punches and 98 to 63 in power punches.[18] Crawford was up 79–70 on all three scorecards at the time of the stoppage.[19]

Aftermath

After the fight, the IBF ordered Crawford to face its interim champion, Jaron Ennis. Because Spence exercised his rematch clause with Crawford, the IBF stripped Crawford of the title and made Ennis the full champion on November 9, 2023.[20]

Fight card

Confirmed bouts:[21]

Weight class! style="background:#e6e8fa; color:#000; text-align:center;"
vsMethodRoundTimeNotes
Main Card (PPV)
WelterweightTerence Crawford (c)def.Errol Spence Jr. (c)TKO9/122:32
LightweightIsaac Cruzdef.Giovanni CabreraSD12
BantamweightAlexandro Santiagodef.Nonito DonaireUD12
Junior middleweightYoenis Tellez def.Sergio Garcia TKO3/102:01
Preliminary Card
Super middleweightSteven Nelsondef.Rowdy Legend MontgomeryUD10
LightweightJabin Cholletdef.Michael PortalesTKO2/6
Super featherweightJustin Viloriadef.Pedro Penunuri Borgaro TKO4/60:41
LightweightDemler Zamoradef.Nikolai BuzolinUD8
WelterweightDeshawn Pratherdef.Kevin Ceja VenturaUD6



Broadcasting

Country/RegionBroadcaster
FreeCable TVPPVStream
United States (host)Showtime PPV
AustraliaMain Event
FranceRMC SportRMC BFM Play
IrelandTNT Sports Box Office
United Kingdom
JapanWowowWowow on Demand
Latin AmericaESPNStar+
MexicoAzteca 7TV Azteca Deportes
PanamaRPCMedcom GO
PolandTVP SportTVP Go
Sub-saharan AfricaSuperSportDStv Now
Worldwide (unsold markets)FITE
Fight Sports

Notes

  1. Web site: BoxRec: Errol Spence Jr . August 21, 2023. BoxRec.
  2. Web site: BoxRec: Terence Crawford . August 21, 2023. BoxRec.
  3. Web site: Errol Spence Jr and Terence Crawford to fight for undisputed welterweight championship July in Las Vegas . 2023-05-27 . Sky Sports . en.
  4. Web site: Ferguson . Kerr . 2023-08-03 . Terence Crawford-Errol Spence Jr PPV Numbers Reported . 2023-08-04 . boxing-social.com . en-US.
  5. Web site: Perez . A. J. . 2023-08-03 . Crawford-Spence Bout Nets Around 700K PPV Buys . 2023-08-20 . Front Office Sports . en.
  6. Web site: November 17, 2018 . Terence Crawford, Errol Spence Meet Face To Face in Oklahoma . Boxing Scene.
  7. Web site: Katzowitz . Josh . April 20, 2019 . Terence Crawford Scores Bizarre TKO Win Vs. Amir Khan (Video) . Forbes.
  8. Web site: November 15, 2021 . Crawford vs Brook: Terence Crawford stops Kell Brook in fourth round of world welterweight title fight . Sky Sports.
  9. Web site: Rafael . Dan . October 10, 2019 . Errol Spence Jr. seriously injured in Dallas car crash . ESPN.
  10. Web site: Agencies . April 17, 2022 . Errol Spence Jr stops Ugás to set up four-belt showdown with Terence Crawford . The Guardian.
  11. Web site: Coppinger . Mike . September 15, 2022 . Sources: Errol Spence Jr., Terence Crawford agree to terms for potential Nov. 19 megafight . ESPN.
  12. Web site: Nam . Sean . November 16, 2022 . Hearn Says He Has 'Bit of Sympathy' For Haymon in Spence-Crawford Negotiations . Boxing Scene.
  13. Web site: Baby . Ben . December 11, 2022 . Terence Crawford stops David Avanesyan to keep welterweight belt . ESPN.
  14. Web site: Copperinger . Mike . July 28, 2023 . How Errol Spence Jr. vs. Terence Crawford finally came to fruition . ESPN.
  15. Web site: Coppinger . Mike . May 23, 2023 . Terence Crawford, Errol Spence Jr. set to fight July 29 in Vegas . ESPN.
  16. Web site: May 25, 2023 . Errol Spence Jr and Terence Crawford to fight for undisputed welterweight championship July in Las Vegas . Sky Sports.
  17. Web site: Graham . Bryan Armen . Terence Crawford wins undisputed welterweight crown with beatdown of Errol Spence . theguardian.com . 30 July 2023 . 30 July 2023.
  18. Web site: Compubox . Terence Crawford vs. Errol Spence - CompuBox Punch Stats . boxingscene.com . 30 July 2023 . 30 July 2023.
  19. Web site: Boxingscene Staff . Terence Crawford vs. Errol Spence - Official Scorecards . boxingscene.com . 30 July 2023 . 30 July 2023.
  20. News: Coppinger . Mike . Crawford stripped of IBF title; Ennis now champ . 28 May 2024 . ESPN.com . 10 November 2023 . en.
  21. Web site: BoxRec - event.