WBC/WBA/IBF welterweight champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. previewed his July 29 PPV superfight against WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford on “The Pivot Podcast.” Here’s some of what he had to say.
On the pre-fight build-up…
“The press conference gets you more pumped up because you see each other face to face. My trainer’s talking, his trainer’s talking, we’re saying stuff to get each other ticked off. That gets us ready to go.”
On who is the A-side…
“I’m the guy for sure, but he didn’t wanna believe that I was the A-side. When you talk about putting butts in the seats, I’m him. He didn’t wanna believe that. His accolades are cool, but take them to the bank and see what you get for them. He didn’t wanna understand that.”
On how the fight came together…
“The first time we Facetimed, it was mostly feeling each other out. Just talking about family and life and different things. We only talked about the fight for like five or 10 minutes. The next time we were on Facetime he started telling me what he was concerned about and what he wanted. It made sense to me…I feel like I really got this fight made, because there were things he was asking for that my team thought I wouldn’t do. We’re talking about percentages and stuff like that. But I was like yeah, give him that. This is the fight I wanted. Period. I can’t leave this division without fighting him. This is one of the legendary fights.”
On what this fight means…
“We bring greatness out of each other. That’s just what it is. If I truly feel like someone isn’t on my level, I’m super dismissive of that person…With Crawford, there’s more excitement. He’s bringing something. When you talk about two fighters and their mentalities and how they are, our mentalities are to kill. I just feel like we’re meant to clash. I wasn’t gonna let this fight go away because of ego or pride.
“I hope this fight lights a fire in other people to make these big fights happen. And I want the public to buy the pay-per-view so that it shows fighters that there is reward in taking risks. With fan support, you’re gonna get more big fights. If the numbers are right, these fights will get made.”
On his mindset…
“I feel like I’m an apex predator. I could be in my locker room on fight night with my opponent, chilling and playing dominos, but they say it’s fight time and we get in that ring, I don’t know you. I’m coming to decapitate you. I don’t know where it comes from. It’s an ‘it factor’ that makes some people great, some good and some okay. Not everyone has the same instinct as Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Mike Tyson or Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier…You could be my best friend, but when we’re in the ring, it doesn’t matter.”
On breaking down an opponent…
“When you’re breaking someone down, there’s a point where you’ll just see a certain look on their face in the middle of a round that lets you know. That’s even more satisfying than knocking someone down. If you punish someone and keep beating on them, it gets to a point where they might not come back into the ring the same.”
On the car crash…
“I feel like everything that happened to me outside of the ring made me more satisfied with what I do have. I can still do what I love…I got to the point where I had really forgotten what I was doing it for. I forgot that I was doing it for my kids and my mom and my dad. I got caught up in “the lifestyle”. I got a knock on my door, because that car crash was a warning. I had to lock in and that’s what I’ve been doing ever since…It’s about staying focused and doing it right. I have to leave no regrets.”
On how he’ll win the fight…
“I just have to be myself and listen to my coach. A lot of guys when they get into big fights, they get out of character. They want to show a different style. But I’m gonna do what I’ve been doing. Nobody has stopped it yet. If I have to step to him, you know I’m gonna step to him. I’m ready to do whatever it takes to win. I feel like he’s gonna wilt to me. I’m gonna be in his face 24/7. He’s a predator too, but I’m different. I’m a bigger predator.”
Spence by split decision and Crawford will cry robbery.
I haven’t seen neither of these fine champs cry about anything. They worked hard and earned what they have. Put some respect on these names.
It will be a legendary fight if they give a great fight… otherwise it won’t be ..names don’t make great fights
My pick… draw in a no excited fight
Crawford is a slight favorite
I have them even
Crawford-105
Spencer -105
Are you managing bets?
The first part of the fight is crucial for Spence to rack up points since Crawford takes a few rounds to get the lunch pail out to go to work. Once Crawford settles down in the fight and figures his opponent out, it’s hard to break his streak. Crawford’s counter punching will be the edge to push him onto a victory by UD. This will be a tactical chess match for both men since they rely so much on a skill set.
Errol in the beginning, Terrence comes, but does he catch up? We’ll see.
I don’t know who you pissed off, Scoob, but there’s always one downvote for your posts, no matter how cogent they may be. (Which I consistently find them to be- maybe not always right, but certainly well thought out and reasonable) Case in point on this one too. It makes me smile every time though- I hope it does you as well.
Respect to both men. They are throwback fighters. I’m rooting for Spence on the fact that I can’t stand Crawford’s fat lil trainer.
throw back fighters fight way more often than these guys. Throw back fighters worn 6 oz gloves and weighed in the day of the fight. Thee guys are legends in their own mind. But this is what boxing has become
Errol sounds very relaxed. He seems to have totally landed on what this fight is. He realizes that this fight is bigger than his record. He doesn’t seem scare to lose. That’s a good sign, at least if you’re betting your money on Errol.
Tough one to call. This will be a very good fight, two guys with killer instinct and heart.
I am still leaning towards Crawford’s sharp/hard counterpunching skills because Spence has defensive flaws for Crawford’s offensive style. I have concerns about Spence’s high pressure and natural size advantage on fight night.
All over the USA (and maybe the world), major fight parties are coming up soon.
Think the days of major fight parties are over. Big as this is to fight fans, most sports fans would not be able to tell you who either one is.
This fight will be all Spence. 12 rounds of pressure on Crawford resulting in an unanimous decision. Spence is calm, cool, and collected which means he is focused. He is too big for Crawford. Crawford will definitely will be in the fight, but doesn’t have enough firepower.
Bring big is not a factor, a lot of opponents of Manny Pacquiao were bigger and he knocked them out. Crawford by late stoppage after he fugues out Spence, Spence gets hit too much and Crawford will catch him.!
Crawford gets hit too. In fact, he got knocked down by the big green machine egas???? Can’t remember his last name. Pacquiao was able to out work and his speed was the key to fighting those bigger guys. Crawford and Spence have very similar speed, so Crawford will not have the advantage. Fighting someone bigger with the same speed is too much. The problem is Crawford is crazy at adjusting and countering, so that to me is his advantage. Just don’t see him overcoming Spence’s size and pressure.
I really hope it doesn’t turn out to be a fizzle. They are meeting when they are bit older then they should have been but let’s hope it still lives up to the lofty expectations
Actually hard to pick a winner in this hopefully a great fight hopefully live up to exceptations especially for the fans
Terrence
Height/Reach 5’8”/74” (173 cm/188 cm)
Errol
Height/Reach 5’9½”/72” (177 cm/183 cm)
I don’t think size will be decisive. One is taller, the other one has better reach.
Im not talking about this but lot of people confuses big with tall
Example of big :
David tua is like 5’10” tall but he is heavyweight
Celestino caballero is like 6’3” but he is super bantam
The big guy is David tia even when he is shorter in height
Big in boxing is related in volume body
Like adrien brooner was too big in 135 lbs he looks super middle in that division
That why he started losing when he moved welter and fought bigger fighters like him
been waiting breathlessly for couple years. Finally.
Great to see this epic matchup finally becoming a reality.
Too close to call, so whoever has the better night should
take it. I give a very slight advantage to Crawford because
he did better against their common foe: Shawn Porter.
Don c, I don’t think it’s a good measuring stick. In 2019, I think porter was more ambitious. I think he wanted these fights. In 2021, by his own father’s admission, he did not train the way he was supposed to for Crawford. In fact, he was still doing his announcing gig with pbc. Common opponent but two different times of his career. Then he retired.
It means nothing
Ali beat foreman
Foreman beat frazier
Frazier best ali
No, not correct!
Ali beat Frazier (2-1)
Bud is great at maintaining the exact right distance from his opponent when delivering his punches. If this becomes a chess match, Spence fails to push Bud physically into the spent state Bud will catch him with a KO punch.
Spence is the same man who challenged Porter in -ring then faced Shawn immediately. Errol walked out the building at Crawford v. Porter was too apprehensive in finalizing this fight. The ‘classic’ fight deption doesn’t fit because this should have been over 15Rounds and Same-day Weigh-in. There are going to be whimsical type fasts on her that will challenge the latter, with their ‘know it all and un-researched word formations.’ Nonetheless the latter is healthier and amplifies Pugilistic discipline out of ring and gladiatorial resilience and noble grade temperatures in -ring. SEE Archie Moore, Willie Pep.
©️Coach Hilario 2023
This should be a great fight if they both take risks and engage rather than make it a chess match with with minimum risk. Assuming they both go after it, it is going to boil down to fundamentals, adjustments, flawless execution, and refusal to come out second! In my view as a former fighter, I see Crawford as the one coming out first as he seems to be smoother and more rhythmic once he finds his stride.
I like both of these guys. They have been my two favorite fighters of this era. Two humble funny guys great personalities that love the sport. I haven’t either in a boring fight yet. I’m certain I will be much sadder for the loser than happy for the winner.