Terence Crawford, the former undisputed welterweight champion, seems to have closed the door on a rematch with Errol Spence Jr. Crawford, hailing from Omaha, Nebraska, recently shared his thoughts on social media, indicating a lack of interest in revisiting their previous encounter. In his post, Crawford expressed his relief at moving past the issue and conveyed his best wishes to Spence.
The exact cause of Crawford’s reluctance is unclear, but it may be connected to recent revelations by Spence about undergoing cataract surgery. This operation is Spence’s second major eye surgery, following a previous procedure for a detached retina before a scheduled bout with Manny Pacquiao in 2021. Spence attributed part of his subpar performance against Crawford to his eye condition, suggesting it affected his ability to defend against jabs and hooks.
Crawford’s statement adds to a series of heated exchanges involving critics, Spence, IBF welterweight champion Jaron Ennis, and 140-pound titleholder Teofimo Lopez. Crawford had previously achieved a dominant victory over Spence last summer, leading to the unification of all four belts in the 147-pound division. This win marked Crawford's second time reaching undisputed status, having previously done so in the 140-pound division.
Despite Spence activating his contractual right to a rematch, the specifics, including the weight class, remain undecided. Spence has shown a preference for competing at 154 pounds, but this would require Crawford’s agreement. A rematch was anticipated to occur later this year, especially with Premier Boxing Champions, which represents both fighters, signing a new multi-year deal with Amazon Prime Video. The first “PBC on Prime” card is expected in March, but Crawford’s latest statements cast doubt on the likelihood of a rematch materializing.
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