Ring Observer Boxing by Scoop Malinowski
By Scoop Malinowski
It was an all-time welterweight masterpiece performance by Terence “Bud” Crawford as he completely outclassed and annihilated Errol Spence by ninth round knockout.
The 35 year old Crawford becomes the first man in history to unify the titles in two divisions, welter and junior welter.
Spence was game but he was never in the fight. The 33 year old Texan was dropped in the second round with a straight right counter and then twice in the seventh with right hooks. Crawford continued to barrage Spence with punches and the one-sided duel was mercifully halted in round nine by referee Harvey Dock. Spence only mildly protested the stoppage.
The badly battered, swollen and bloodied Spence, now 28-1 with 22 KO’s, said after he will exercise his rematch option, preferably at 154.
Showing no signs of facial damage, Crawford, now 40-0 with 31 KO’s, is now the undisputed welterweight champion. Beyond a Spence rematch, the soon to be 36 year old said he’s unsure of what his future plans in boxing would be. Crawford has nothing left to prove and with the reported $20m payday for yesterday’s work, he is financially set for life.
Though the Nebraskan’s brilliant career has been underpromoted and undercelebrated before this spectacular triumph, there can be no doubt about it now, Terence Crawford is one of the greatest champions in boxing history and may even be in the same league as Roberto Duran, Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns and Manny Pacquiao.
