The press conference for the upcoming clash between Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. on Thursday at the T-Mobile Arena was replete with tension. Crawford, the WBO 147-pound champion, stressed the need for fans of both fighters to maintain decorum, acknowledging that the high-stakes environment could potentially spark unnecessary conflict. When asked by moderator Brian Custer of Showtime what Spence should expect, Crawford answered confidently, hinting that Spence might join the ranks of those who underestimated him.
Crawford and Spence, who holds the IBF, WBA, and WBC titles, are both gunning to become boxing's first fully unified welterweight champion in the four-belt era. Crawford regards this encounter as an opportunity to affirm his claim of presiding over the current era of boxing. He expressed his confidence in his own legacy, declaring, “This is the Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford era... given the body of work and how long I been doing it for, yeah, this is the Terence Crawford era since Floyd Mayweather retired, him and Andre Ward.”
Spence, however, remains unfazed by Crawford’s claims. Even as Crawford has dominated his seven welterweight fights, winning all by knockout or technical knockout, Spence was dismissive of Crawford’s bold assertions. In fact, Spence fired back with his own warning, promising to put Crawford “in the dirt”.
As the long-awaited match approaches, both fighters continue to make strong promises of a thrilling fight. Crawford guaranteed fans an action-packed match, stating, “I can guarantee fireworks... I’m ready for whatever he brings to the table... Let’s see what’s gonna happen.” The stage is set for a confrontation that has been in the works for five years since Crawford’s remarkable victory over Jeff Horn.
Image Credit: DAZN