- Boxing’s undisputed welterweight champion will be crowned.
- Terence Crawford is the betting favorite at -150.
- Errol Spence Jr. is the betting underdog at +138.
After years of failed negotiations, the undisputed welterweight championship showdown between reigning WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford (39-0) and reigning IBF, WBA, and WBC welterweight titleholder Errol Spence Jr. (28-0) will finally happen this Saturday, July 29, inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Both champions have undefeated records.
Don't miss a moment of #SpenceCrawford fight week.
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Because of 11 more wins and more experience under his belt, Crawford is hailed as the slight betting favorite in boxing odds at -150 against the younger Spence Jr., who is tagged as the slight betting underdog at +138. Additionally, “Bud” is a three-division world champion in the lightweight, light welterweight, and welterweight divisions.
This fight is dubbed as one of the biggest since the mega fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao in 2015. Due to the magnitude of this bout, it cracks a spot in the top five biggest pay-per-view fights in boxing. Furthermore, it is the most important match in the 147-pound division, which determines the king of the welterweights.
Terence Crawford Recent Fight Results
Terence Crawford made his professional debut in March 2008 as a lightweight fighter. He won his first major title in March 2014 after unanimously beating Ricky Burns. Three years later, in August 2017, Crawford unified the light welterweight division by knocking out Julius Indongo in the third round before officially moving to the welterweight division.
“Bud” challenged Jeff Horn for the WBO World Welterweight title in June 2018 and stopped him in the ninth round to start his reign in the division. Since then, the Omaha native defended the belt six times, fending off challenges from Jose Benavidez Jr., Amir Khan, Egidijus Kavaliauskas, Kell Brook, Shawn Porter, and David Avanesyan.
Terence Crawford’s sixth round KO of David Avanesyan 💥
Who next for Bud then?#CrawfordAvanesyan #Boxing #Knockout pic.twitter.com/YgwuKMUBhK
— IFL TV (@IFLTV) December 11, 2022
Errol Spence Jr. Recent Results
Errol Spence Jr. is a former Olympic boxer who participated in the 2012 London Olympics and made his pro debut in November 2012. He needed 21 straight wins and almost five years to capture his first title by knocking out Brook in May 2017 for the IBF World Welterweight title. Following this championship breakthrough, “The Truth” gradually added two more belts to his resume.
Spence Jr. scored six successive wins over Lamont Peterson, Carlos Ocampo, Mikey Garcia, Porter, Danny Garcia, and Yordenis Ugas. Along with this pile of victories, the 33-year-old also collected the WBC World Welterweight and WBA Super Welterweight titles. Spence Jr. hopes to unify all the belts with a win over Crawford this weekend.
Errol Spence showed out 👊 #SpenceUgas
(h/t @ShowtimeBoxing, @premierboxing) pic.twitter.com/xnPHGnfDTG
— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) April 17, 2022
Terence Crawford vs. Errol Spence Jr.: Tale of the Tape
| Terence Crawford | Errol Spence Jr. | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 35 | 33 |
| Height | 5’8” | 5’9½” |
| Reach | 74 inches | 72 inches |
| Record | 39-0 | 28-0 |
| Stance | Southpaw | Southpaw |
| TKO/KO Percentage | 77% | 79% |
Terence Crawford vs. Errol Spence Jr.: Fight Analysis
On paper, there isn’t much of a difference between Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr., as Crawford is two years older and has two more inches of reach; meanwhile, Spence Jr. is the taller fighter at 5-foot-9.5 compared to Crawford, who stands at 5-foot-8. Anything else is virtually equal in record (both undefeated), similar southpaw stance, and over 70% of TKO/KO percentage.
In terms of style, Crawford is the more versatile and well-rounded boxer of the two. He can fight in both southpaw and orthodox stances (although he fights mostly in southpaw) and adjust them accordingly depending on his opponent’s style, mainly thanks to his high fight IQ. Needless to say, Crawford is the embodiment of a complete boxer in today’s modern era.
On the other hand, Errol Spence Jr. is both a pressure fighter and a swarmer. He maximizes the use of his stiff and powerful jabs to back his opponents and keep them off rhythm. Moreover, Spence Jr. employs this jab to effectively set up his signature combinations, such as his overhand punches and body shots.
The IBF, WBA, and WBC champion can double down on these jabs to potentially pressure Crawford and throw him off rhythm. This way, he can still go toe-to-toe against the WBO title holder regardless of the stance he will be using to score points on the judges’ scorecards and potentially look for a combination that could change the complexity of the match.
Crawford, though, could counter this approach by Spence Jr. if he chooses this game plan in various ways. He can defend it via high guard, parries, and a quick straight-hand counter. As mentioned above, “Bud’s” fight IQ is unmatched, and he can instantly adjust his approach accordingly.
It will be interesting to see whether Spence Jr. can land a big shot against Crawford. If that happens, it will be a quick night for the three-belt champion; but if Crawford rapidly finds his rhythm and adjusts swiftly to Spence Jr.’s style, the outcome is a masterful decision victory for the WBO champion.
Terence Crawford vs. Errol Spence Jr.: Date and Start Time
July 29, 2023, 5 p.m. PT
July 29, 2023, 7 p.m. CT
July 29, 2023, 8 p.m. ET
Terence Crawford vs. Errol Spence Jr.: Fight Prediction
Official Prediction: Unanimous decision victory for Terence Crawford.
See the entire Terence Crawford vs. Errol Spence Jr. odds and wagers here.
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