In a heady atmosphere on a charged Saturday night, Terence Crawford silenced the critics who had questioned his prowess, demonstrating he reigns supreme in the welterweight boxing sphere. His spectacular triumph over Errol Spence Jr., which saw him dominate and ultimately knock out the formerly unbeaten champ, underscored Crawford’s assertion of supremacy.
The Breakdown: Round-by-Round
The Climax of the Showtime Pay-Per-View Main Event
Within the electrified environment of the T-Mobile Arena, the Showtime Pay-Per-View main event escalated towards a thrilling climax. The 12-round journey was dominated by Crawford’s mesmerizing performance, compelling referee Harvey Dock to intervene and halt the contest at 2:32 of the ninth round, due to Crawford’s relentless onslaught of power punches that sent Spence spiralling.
Even though Spence managed to remain on his feet when the fight was stopped, he had tasted the canvas earlier in the second and seventh rounds. An unusual experience for Spence, as his previous 28 professional fights saw him never touch the mat.
Crawford’s masterful control of the ring, primarily leveraging a southpaw stance, left no doubt about his comprehensive superiority over the brave Spence.
The Judges’ Perspectives
The judges concurred with the fight’s narrative. Tim Cheatham, David Sutherland, and Steve Weisfeld unanimously had Crawford leading by a margin of 79-70 at the commencement of the ninth round.
Crawford’s Momentous Triumph
Crawford’s victory elevated him to a unique status as the first unified welterweight champion of the four-belt era. The three-division champion from Omaha, Nebraska, defended his WBO 147-pound championship and clinched the IBF, WBA, and WBC belts from Spence (28-1, 22 KOs).
Additionally, Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) carved out another significant chapter in boxing history. He became the first male boxer to claim the undisputed champion title in two divisions since the inception of the IBF, WBA, WBC, and WBO belts.
Crawford’s Reflections Post-Fight
When asked about his momentous victory by Showtime’s Jim Gray, Crawford replied:
“It means everything because of who I took the belts from,” Crawford said. “They tried to blackball me. They kept me out. They talked bad about me. They said I wasn’t good enough and I couldn’t beat these welterweights. I just kept my head to the sky and kept praying to God that I would get the opportunity to show the world how great Terence Crawford is. Tonight, I believe I showed how great I am.”
Looking Forward: The Potential Rematch
While Spence could invoke his contractual right to an immediate rematch within 30 days, the weight limit of their potential second bout remains Crawford’s prerogative. Earlier in the week, Spence had indicated to BoxingScene.com that he intended for the Crawford fight to be his last in the welterweight class, given the physical strain required to reach 147 pounds.
“We gotta do it again,” Spence said to Gray in the ring. “I’m gonna be a lot better. It’ll be a lot closer. It’ll probably be in December, [at] the end of the year. I say we gotta do it again. Hopefully it’ll happen at 154.”
However, Spence refused to use the weight cut as an excuse for his defeat, saying, “He was just better tonight,” Spence said. “He was using the jab. My timing was a little bit off. He was just the better man tonight.”
The Finale: A Snapshot of the Decisive Moments
In the eighth round, Crawford appeared to reserve his energy, only to unleash a ferocious assault on Spence as the ninth round got underway, resulting in Spence’s swift downfall.
Despite the fierce rivalry, Crawford displayed a gesture of respect towards Spence by touching gloves after he had floored him twice during the seventh round.
Key Highlights of the Fight
Below are some significant moments from the match:
- A sharp right hook from Crawford toppled Spence off his feet just as the seventh round was drawing to a close. This marked Spence’s second fall in the round and the third in the match.
- Spence found himself knocked down for the second time following a counter right hook by Crawford. Spence quickly regained his footing, albeit looking visibly disoriented by Crawford’s superior boxing skills.
Final Thoughts
Terence Crawford’s journey to become the undisputed welterweight champion stands as a testament to his perseverance, determination, and boxing acumen. His reign marks a new era of excellence in the boxing world.
Achievements of Crawford in this match:
- First unified welterweight champion of the four-belt era
- First male boxer to claim the undisputed champion title in two divisions since the inception of the IBF, WBA, WBC, and WBO belts
- Managed to floor Spence, who had never touched the mat in his previous 28 professional fights
