Errol Spence Jr had never been dropped in his 11-year professional career, but within five minutes of this heavily-anticipated undisputed matchup, he was floored by a laser-focused Terence Crawford. Bud later declared it a flash knockdown, a sign of things to come during a vicious one-sided beating en route to making more history for the Omaha native on another legacy-building night.
Crawford cruises atop the 147lb division with aplomb
R9, 2:36 – Terence Crawford (c) bt. Errol Spence Jr (c) via TKO, retains his WBO title while unifying rest of welterweight championship titles
- Emphatic result and dominant individual display now means Crawford becomes the first male two-division undisputed world champion in boxing history, improves to 40-0 with his 11th straight stoppage victory
- “I wanna thank Spence and his team because without him, none of this would be possible. It means everything [undisputed] because of who I took them [belts] from, they tried to blackball me, said I wasn’t good enough, talked bad about me, said I’m not a top welterweight – I showed the world how great I am,” 35-year-old says in post-fight ringside interview
- Spence: “He was the better man tonight, dictated with the jab. My timing was a little off and he caught me in-between shots… no excuses, did his thing, I wasn’t surprised by the speed but was off. Hell yeah, we’ll do it again. I’ll be a lot better, hopefully [rematch] in December and at 154lbs.”
The mutual respect between them was clear during the build-up, but Crawford’s unemotional post-fight assessment said all you needed to know.
“Spence is a tremendous talent with a great jab – we were worried about it as that’s how he sets up his power shots. Normally we do a flicking jab, but did a firm one in this training camp. Take away his best attribute, the rest is history.”
So after a feeling out period in round one, boxing out of the southpaw stance and trying to counterpunch from the back foot as Spence led the bulk of their exchanges, Crawford stepped it up in the second.
There were a few moments which foreshadowed the sequences to come, but the unified champion’s body attacks and forward pressure were encouraging early.
Instances like these though, happened too early and frequent for him to curb in time against a vicious power puncher who saved his best for his biggest night yet:
Spence got the crowd’s attention early in the second with a punch combo that landed clean, rewarded for being the busier of the two – though both had moments of success in that round.
The Texan native’s jab and movement allowed him to close the distance when he wanted, though Crawford’s counters were sharp and stinging to boot.
Crawford’s counters quickly nullify the Spence jab
Right on cue, a straight left jab and right combo on the chin knocked Spence to the canvas late in the round – a stunning sequence, given how easily he made it look.
That’s what happens when you over-reach and telegraph your entries.
Spence looked distracted in the corner but shook off that surprise to begin the third well, though he was unsuccessful in attempts to physically outmuscle his fellow champion against the ropes.
By this stage, Crawford’s speed and accuracy was piercing through the guard at will. Spence might’ve produced more output to that point, but you could see from their contrasting reactions to being hit that it wasn’t as impactful and both were aware.
Keep that jab in his face, vary the speeds, he’ll get careless was the instruction from Crawford’s head trainer Bomac after three rounds and he did just that.
Referee Harvey Dock was officiating well and quick on the scene when needed without getting overly involved through ten minutes, something that hasn’t been commonplace for most big fights of late.
In that very round, Crawford landed a digging body shot which hurt Spence.
He briefly doubled over, gesticulating that it was low, but those complaints were ignored as Bud’s lethal left hand continued to land and Spence’s face was wearing the damage after some furious exchanges up close.
Repeatedly stung and almost wobbled off his feet at times, he had to fend off more than just power as the WBO champion was now going downstairs too with his sustained attacks – adding punch variety into the mix from that southpaw stance.
The chief ringside physician was called in to inspect Spence’s bruised face and eyes before R5 began. His eye injuries are well-documented, so caution is natural.
Although a brief inspection was greeted by boos from the Las Vegas crowd, it was nonetheless a discomforting visual as Crawford continued unloading combos – clearly in his groove without much resistance at this stage.
Spence lands a left hand that should’ve been more significant than it proved late in that round, trying to regain some respect for his own punching power but Crawford walked forward unperturbed.
Crawford applied pressure early in the sixth, was warned for holding down the head, so responded by blocking a series of body punches before some clinch exchanges.
Crawford threatens another knockdown with another vicious jab, Dock then gave Spence a final warning for punching low and soon you can hear the double jab coursing through the air, much to the crowd’s audible surprise.
How was Spence being picked off like this? A partisan crowd in favour of the unified champion couldn’t comprehend how devastating this had become.
He wasn’t defending intelligently and continued to over-extend as he felt was necessary, aware that he was losing and desperately needing a drastic change in momentum fast.
Soon he was down once more, a minute into the seventh, with a beautiful right uppercut just as he landed a left of his own.
More knockdowns scored, as the finish nears
Spence beat the referee’s count and again had to do so again after a right hook sent him crashing down moments before the round’s final bell sounded.
The speed, precision and contrast in their body language was clear now: Spence retreating into a more defensive stance, Crawford firmly in his flow state, taking his time and the counters landed at such a clip you almost couldn’t keep up in real-time.
How he managed to survive what would’ve been a fourth knockdown, pinned with his back to the ropes in the eighth, is testament to his champion spirit and refusal to relent even as things got uglier.
Inefficient or not, he kept throwing punches and at this stage it felt like Crawford almost wanted someone else to stop this. There was no way Spence could recover from such one-sided traffic as the onslaught kept coming, defences long breached.
You heard the 33-year-old’s head trainer Derrick James shout don’t get lax, but those comments were futile as the ninth was a punishing round and the final one.
The counterpunching was even more vicious in volume, throwing violently as Spence’s legs continued buckling under him and he swayed uncomfortably.
Dock stepped in and waved it off, a new undisputed champion crowned – in his second weight division no less – enemy territory and all.
Analysis, what’s next for both?
Just like in Stephen Fulton’s case earlier this week, you have to applaud the loser after a painful maiden defeat that will be exacerbated by an even more disappointing display than his stablemate and friend managed abroad.
A fight five years in the making finally happened, and there will be mixed emotions. Crawford did what he promised he would, but questions over Spence – before and after *that* car accident – will remain long after this chapter is definitively closed.
Again those who focused too much on their respective weights were burned by a technician who breaks down opponents in ways none of his peers can match.
Sure, Spence hadn’t boxed since dethroning Yordenis Ugas of the WBA title last April but that was by his own doing – former welterweight champion Keith Thurman was ringside here and not long ago, mooted to be his first challenge at 154lbs.
Both have expressed their desire to move up in weight, Crawford can now set his sights on making more history as a three-division undisputed world champion.
Current titlist Jermell Charlo won’t be available until early 2024 though, given his own unprecedented shot at greatness against Canelo Álvarez in September.
That’s ignoring the Tim Tszyu-shaped elephant in the room for the 33-year-old, while Sebastian Fundora’s conqueror Brian Mendoza is the new WBC mandatory challenger too. Plus as far as Bud’s next move, the Spence rematch remains…
We’ll soon find out across two divisions needing clarity in the coming months. Jaron Ennis vs. Vergil Ortiz Jr would’ve been a fitting way to decide the next ruler at 147lbs, but the former and Eimantas Stanionis are his mandatory challengers now.
Even though this quickly evolved into anything but the competitive firefight that everyone hoped for, Spence knows he can perform much better.
Whether it’s enough to considerably close the gap, against a foe who now has the psychological edge and will naturally make adjustments of his own, is highly unlikely.
He’d need to change the gameplan and box more like now-retired former champion Shawn Porter did two years ago but nothing is impossible in boxing.
Not helped by weight or opposition resume, Naoya Inoue found himself discredited and is gradually starting to get the shine he deserves as a pound-for-pound talent, but this criticism and sense of adversity has been heightened in Crawford’s case.
From promotional disputes, legal lawsuits and more besides, the emotional toll is exhausting and relentless too. It’s probably why he has such a chip on his shoulder, isn’t the warmest with the media but can express himself freely come fight night.
Silencing the naysayers while inspiring new fans with skills, rather than just verbal jousting, got him to this point. Now, leading by example in his third weight division, the world is finally recognising he’s peerless and ageing beautifully at 35.
Picture source: Getty Images
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