Crawford Cements Hall of Fame Legacy By Battering And Stopping Spence

The fight between undefeated Welterweight world champions Errol Spence and Terence Crawford for the Undisputed Welterweight championship of the world on July 29th in Las Vegas, NV was in some ways a throwback moment to when the best fighters fought the best where the politics that be in the sport rarely stood in the way of what could be viewed as progress. While such a return to the era where the best fought the best has become an elusive concept as decades have gone on due to a variety of issues related to the business of the sport of Boxing, Spence-Crawford served as an example of what the sport could be providing fans on a regular basis.

It is after all where two fighters who understand their respective positions in the sport opt to in large part make a fight that they want to have, happen between themselves and not be restrained by promoters or television/streaming network's own respective interests and agendas. In that aspect, both Spence and Crawford showed fellow boxers that ultimately it is the fighters who do the fighting and it is the promoters that are supposed to work in the best interest of the fighters, not the other way around.

Despite the positives that this fight brought to the table, the action that occurred inside the ring was probably a let down to sone Boxing fans. The reason for this was it did not take long before it became clear that this would not be the competitive fight that it appeared it would be on paper. What would happen instead would serve as another example of one fighter's generational talent and one fighter's courage in the face of being on that night at the T-Mobile Arena, the lesser fighter. In previewing this fight, this observer stated that the issue of activity might be something this fight would come down to, specifically the fact that due largely to injuries, Errol Spence had only fought once in the last three years prior to this encounter for all the marbles in the 147lb. Welterweight division as well as the current state of the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters, that Spence has fought under the banner of for most of his career, in that many fighters who are aligned with the PBC have seen lengthy stretches of inactivity in recent years as the PBC has been struggling including apparently losing their broadcast deal with Fox Sports, which up until this year had been one of two network partners for the PBC here in the United States along with the Paramount owned Showtime, which has been recently rebranded to Paramount+ with Showtime in integrating the struggling cable network with it's parent company's flagship global streaming network.

While most of the above should not be directly tied to a fighter's inactivity, the fact remains that the biggest detriment to a fighter's career is inactivity. Something that by all accounts seemed to be exposed in this fight. After a relatively uneventful first round, Crawford stunned many by dropping Spence with a perfectly timed counter jab in the second round. Although this appeared to be a "Flash Knockdown" in that Spence did not appear hurt in being knocked down for the first time in his career, what was clear was Crawford has already figured out how to break Spence down and had his timing down to almost surgical precision. 

Over the course of the rounds that followed, this observer felt it was only a matter of time before the fight would be stopped. The reason for this was not only the systematic approach that Crawford was executing, but also that his hand speed and punching power was too much for Spence to combat. What was also evident was Spence, at least on this night, lacked the punching power to discourage Crawford from pressing forward, much less being able to gain control of the combat.

Round after round Crawford was administering a beating. Although Spence showed his mettle and was extremely "Game" in this fight, after six rounds, I felt that his corner needed to start thinking about their fighter's well being. Translation, I felt that the time had come where it was time to consider stopping the fight as it was so decisive in Crawford's favor, there did not seem to be much sense in allowing it to continue as gradually Spence was being busted up and there appeared to be no sign of the ebb and flow turning in his favor. 

My feelings that Spence had taken enough punishment seemed to be confirmed in the seventh round when Crawford scored his second and third knockdowns of Spence. At this point, I was shocked that even though Spence continued to show the heart of a warrior and survived the round, common sense and concern for his welfare did not come into the equation and the fight was allowed to continue.

As the punishment also continued being dished out by Crawford and Spence was increasingly unable to return much offense, Referee Harvey Dock mercifully stepped in and stopped the fight in the ninth round making Terence Crawford the first Undisputed Welterweight champion of the world in nearly thirty-eight years and the first undisputed champion in the division since the inception of the World Boxing Organization (WBO) in 1989. It also made Crawford the first male boxer in history to have successfully fully unified two weight divisions after previously becoming undisputed champion as a 140lb. Jr. Welterweight.

Although that accomplishment is astounding given all the political roadblocks and other things that occur in the sport that more often than not prevent such accomplishments, frankly my first thought at the conclusion of this fight was not so much about the historical significance of what I had just witnessed, as much as it was about wondering out loud why it took Harvey Dock, a competent world-class referee to use common sense in stopping this fight when the opportunity for Spence's corner to use good judgment was apparently ignored. Obviously, I cannot answer as to why his corner did not stop the fight, but what I will say is, I have seen plenty of fighters suffer similar beatings as Errol Spence did at the hands of Terence Crawford and while no one should ever take away from a fighter's heart and the courage they show in such circumstances, there comes a point where the corner, who's first responsibility should be to look out for the health and long-term well-being of their fighter, need to protect that fighter from themselves because more often than not, a fighter will keep going for as long as they are allowed to and unfortunately, that can also lead to fighters being seriously hurt. In any case, now the question for Errol Spence will be whether or not he will be the same fighter after suffering such a beating and the first loss of his career. It is a question that cannot be answered right now, but the possibility of this fight in addition to the injuries he has suffered might take something out of him going forward.

As for Terence Crawford, he would appear to be in an ideal position as a promotional free agent and now a two-time undisputed champion. While there is a rematch clause that would entitle Spence to a rematch, it does not appear as though that would be an advisable move based on what occurred in the ring and the likely need for time to recover. Whether or not Spence actually takes time to re-evaluate things may come down to whether those around him truly have his best interest.

 It may be more likely to see Crawford start fulfilling his mandatory title defense obligations from the respective organizations that now comprise the Undisputed Welterweight championship, as is standard after a championship is unified. Who he fights, on which network/platform, and under which promoter remains to be seen. Whatever Crawford does going forward, his future place in any Boxing Hall of Fame is cemented. 

For other fighters throughout the sport however, there is an obvious lesson to take from this. Not only do fighters have more power than they truly realize to make fights happen, but fighters also do not and should not be limited to fighting only fighters under the same promotional banner and if a promoter cannot secure consistent fights for a fighter that will allow that fighter to not only earn income consistently, but to also remain active where they will at least have a chance to be at their competitive best, it is the fighters responsibility to force the issue, even if doing so means taking their talents elsewhere. Ultimately a promoter is supposed to work in the best interest of the fighter, not the other way around.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

The Boxing Truth®️is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

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Spence-Crawford: Boxing's Latest SuperFight For Welterweight Supremacy

Boxing's 147lb. Welterweight division has historically been one of the sport's most glamorous divisions full of historic battles featuring some of its biggest stars. Sometimes the term "SuperFight," which this observer only uses when he feels it is truly warranted and not as a mere term for the sole purpose of hype, not only features the top stars in the sport, but also has the rare distinction of bringing resolution to a division such as determining an undisputed world champion. Such a fight will take place on Saturday, July 29th as the two undefeated world champions of the division Errol Spence and Terence Crawford will finally meet to determine the first Undisputed Welterweight champion of the world since 1985 and the first since the inception of the World Boxing Organization (WBO) in 1989. A fight that can be seen on Showtime Pay-Per-View here in the United States

Quite frankly, one could write a column discussing why it has taken thirty-eight years for the Welterweight division to reach this milestone. For historical reference, in December 1985 Donald Curry scored a brutal second round knockout of Milton McCrory to unify the crowns of the World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Association (WBA), and International Boxing Federation (IBF). While the title remained undisputed for a time, by 1988, the championship was broken up due largely to the politics that be in the sport, but despite numerous unification bouts having taken place over the last thirty-eight years where portions of the World Welterweight championship were at stake, things could not seem to make it to the finish line to determine an undisputed champion.

Although this observer could spend all day and night talking about the ills of the politics that be in the sport that all too often stand in the way of such progress, it is truly a rarity when two undefeated world champions take a gamble like this for all the marbles. Despite the efforts of some to prevent a fight between Spence and Crawford from happening for whatever interests there may have been, this is an even more rare circumstance where the fight was largely made by the fighters themselves rather than gamesmanship between rival promoters and/or TV and digital streaming networks.

In terms of how the fight might shape up once the fighters are in the ring at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV, it is truly an interesting fight between two fighters that seem evenly matched. Both can box and both have the capability to end a fight suddenly with punching power should the opportunity arise. What this encounter might come down to may center on the subject of activity.

The activity in terms of recent time in competition between the two fighters. In that aspect, it is Crawford who holds the edge. Despite being the longest reigning world champion in the Welterweight division, Errol Spence has fought only once in the last three years. While this could be attributed to both injuries he suffered in a horrific car accident in 2019 as well as a retina injury, which caused him to pull out of a scheduled title defense against Manny Pacquiao in August 2021, it may also be attributable to the current state of the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters, which Spence has fought under for the majority of his career, in that many fighters who have fought under the PBC banner have struggled to get fights on a consistent basis.

Whether it is the injuries he suffered, the state of the PBC, or a combination of all three, Spence is at a disadvantage when it comes to activity as Crawford has averaged one fight per year in the last three years. While not a significant difference in activity, it is important to keep in mind that both due to the politics that be in the sport as well as the economics of it that it is not uncommon for world champions and other fighters on the top level of the sport to average between one and two fights per year depending on what the circumstances might be at a given time. 

It would not surprise this observer however, to see Crawford attempt to apply pressure on Spence from the outset. While both fighters have the capability to end a fight quickly should the opportunity arise and as Crawford demonstrated in his last defense of his WBO crown with a one punch knockout of European Welterweight champion David Avanesyan last December, Crawford has also shown the ability to gradually break opponents down with consistent pressure as well as the ability to swarm his opponents with offense. When he has been able to be active on a consistent basis, Errol Spence has many of the same attributes as Crawford, but the element that Spence has not faced both due to his inactivity as well as against his most recent opponents, has been a fighter that is going to apply the type of pressure that Crawford likely will in this fight.

It will therefore be interesting to see how Spence will respond to being in a fight where he might not be able to dictate the ebb and flow of it and will be under circumstances where he will have to adapt for the first time in a significant period of his career. At least on paper, the comparison between the two fighters seems to tip in favor of Crawford going into this fight when the recent histories of the two as well as the element of Spence having not faced a fighter that will implement the type of pressure that Crawford will attempt are factored into the equation.

Nevertheless, when two undefeated world champions enter the ring with an undisputed world championship on the line there is always the element of suspense because even the most knowledgeable fan, or the most respected members of media who cover the sport, like yours truly, are not quite sure what will happen. Boxing history is filled with so many memorable classic encounters not just in regard to the Welterweight division, but in the entire sport that were thought of as fights that elevated Boxing up to a higher level, whether that level be in terms of prestige or one of exposure that opened the sport up to new eyes that have not previously seen the sport before. While it remains to be seen what this fight will do in regard to exposure with yet another expensive pay-per-view price tag of $84.99 attached, one can only hope that at the very least, this fight will be free from any controversy in the ring and free from any headaches for consumers that have been all too often seeking refunds after events like this due to glitches of the pay-per-view broadcast both on traditional pay-TV as well as streaming providers. It is my hope, despite all the ills in the sport including, but not limited to the pay-per-view model, that at least for one evening the sport of Boxing will get a boost from a marquee event that frankly is long overdue.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Spence vs. Crawford takes place on Saturday, July 29th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. The fight and a three fight undercard can be seen here in the United States on Showtime Pay-Per-View beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT and will be available through the Showtime app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices/Smart TVs as well as the PPV.com app and traditional cable/satellite providers for $84.99. To order through Showtime to access the event through the Showtime app please visit: www.Sho.com/PPV. Or visit www.PPV.com or contact your cable/satellite provider for ordering information. 

(*Card and Start time subject to change*)

(*Check your local listings internationally.*)

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

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After Knocking Out Avanesyan, Will Crawford Finally Face Spence In 2023?

The fight between undefeated WBO Welterweight world champion Terence Crawford and European Welterweight champion David Avanesyan, which took place in Crawford’s hometown of Omaha, NE on December 10th was one that did not have significant public demand. This was due to the desire of most Boxing fans to see Crawford face undefeated IBF/WBC/WBA world champion Errol Spence in what would be a full unification bout for the Undisputed Welterweight championship of the world. As negotiations for that fight between the promotional free agent Crawford and the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters, which represents Spence for a potential showdown in 2022 stalled, it created a necessity for the WBO champion to get back in the ring against the next highest available contender or risk the potential for further “Ring Rust” as it had been more than a year since the champion was last in the ring. 

While this observer detailed why that was in previewing this fight, I was nevertheless interested to see how the longtime top contender and current European champion David Avanesyan would fare against one of the best fighters in the world in his first world championship fight. A further piece of intrigue that surrounded this encounter was that it was the first entry into the sport by digital streaming network BLK Prime, who guaranteed Crawford an estimated $10 Million for the bout. Although this was not the fight that the majority of Boxing fans likely wanted to see Crawford in, it was nevertheless interesting from the standpoint of the Welterweight division, traditionally being one of the most talent-deep in the entire sport. As such, any top contender such as Avanesyan or former world champion should be viewed as a serious challenger whenever they are able to get an opportunity to fight for a world title because it is a division where any top contender can take advantage and become a world champion even if there are more lucrative fights that may loom ahead for fighters who hold world titles in the division. Even though the same can be applied to virtually any division in the sport, the Welterweights have a long history of being one of the most competitive in Boxing and it is truly rare to see a world champion dominate the division over several years without at least having a few hard fights along the way, that is if they are able to hold onto their championship for a significant period.

As he has done in three weight classes including the Welterweight division, Terence Crawford has been able to be a dominant fighter and like many below the Heavyweight division, he has moved up in weight in search of both more world titles and of a challenge along the way. One thing that I did touch upon in previewing this bout that was of keen interest at least in my eyes was whether the distractions outside of the ring from a bitter split with his former longtime promoter Bob Arum to the failed negotiations for the showdown with Spence, would divert Crawford’s focus going into what appeared to be a possibly dangerous fight against Avanesyan. This appeared to be valid both because of the issues the champion has been dealing with as well as the fact that this bout would be taking place in his hometown.

With a sellout crowd in attendance at the CHI Health Center, the fight exceeded the expectations that many fans had. This was largely due in my eyes to the way Avanesyan approached Crawford. From the opening bell, the challenger attempted to apply pressure on Crawford and make him uncomfortable. This resulted in the two fighters exchanging offense earlier than expected and less of a feeling out process that is normal to see in the early rounds in many fights. To his credit, despite being off thrown by the champion, Avanesyan was able to hold his own through much of the fight and also managed to catch Crawford with a few flush right hands periodically. While Avanesyan was clearly not interested by the occasion, Crawford showed tremendous calm and did not appear to be irked in any way by being put under pressure from the outset and he also seemed to dictate the combat simply by landing combinations and either tying Avanesyan up on the inside or being able to move subtly in order to avoid getting caught by the challenger on the ropes or trapped in a corner.

What clearly was a competitive fight between two world-class fighters came to a sudden conclusion in round six when the champion connected with a right uppercut followed by a short left hook to the head that sent Avanesyan down on his back, out cold on the canvas. A sudden and brutal end to his latest title defense should be viewed as a statement-making performance by Crawford who has been subjected to criticism by some fans in addition to the recent issues he has combatted in terms of the business of Boxing outside of the ring.

The question coming out of this fight is much the same as it was following the champion’s previous title defense over former two-time Welterweight world champion Shawn Porter in October of last year. Will Crawford and Errol Spence meet in the near future to determine an Undisputed World Welterweight champion? This observer sincerely wishes that I could tell the reader that yes, the fight will happen in the near future and also wish I could said if that were the case that it would not come at the expense of Boxing fans being asked to pay an inflated fee to view it. Unfortunately, the truth is, I cannot say neither is the case.

One can hope however, that with promoters that continue to rely on what has increasingly become an outdated model of pay-per-view and have continued to struggle as a result that no matter what their personal interests in a fighter might be, that they collectively realize that it is time for change. Change not just in regard to the antiquated pay-per-view model, which as we now approach 2023 rarely gives the consumer value for the price as compared to subscription-based options that are available on the market, but also change in the realization that fights of significant public interest need to be made in a timely manner not only in the best interest of the fighters, but of the sport. Whether the newest entry into Boxing promotion BLK Prime will adapt accordingly having seen the numerous flaws of going with the outdated status quos that be in Boxing or if they will go with the flow, which will only hinder the sport more remains to be seen. The hold outs that have thus far refused to embrace change and have even gone as far as to try and force those that have entered the sport to go with the status quos may not want to admit it, but things need to change. With Boxing fans continuing to reject an outdated model only with rare exceptions and now yet another highly anticipated fight between two undefeated world champions being delayed solely for business interests rather than what would benefit not only the sport, not only the fans who support it, but also the fighters themselves, I have one question for those hold outs as I often call them. How much evidence do you need in order to see the need to change and adapt accordingly? 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

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A New Chapter Is About To Begin In The Career Of Danny Garcia

 

There are numerous stories of fighters seeking a fresh start in a new weight class. It is indeed true that for most fighters who are not natural Heavyweights that there might be options in multiple divisions both up and down the weight scale based not only on a fighter’s physical comfort in terms of being able to compete effectively at a given weight, but also the various opportunities both to fight for world championships and the economic benefits those opportunities carry with them. 

 

In the case of former two-division world champion Danny Garcia, after being a world champion in both the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight and 147lb. Welterweight divisions, a new chapter in his career now looms as he sets his sights on the 154lb. Jr. Middleweight division. The move up in weight follows his loss in December 2020 to undefeated unified Welterweight world champion Errol Spence in a failed attempt to regain a portion of the Welterweight world championship he once held. Garcia, who lost that fight to Spence via twelve round unanimous decision will not only be moving up in weight, but will be doing so after a nineteen month absence from active competition. 

 

Garcia’s return to the ring will take place on Saturday, July 30th as he will face Jose Benavidez at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. The fight, which can be seen here in the United States on premium cable network Showtime has two questions that surround it and both center squarely on Garcia. 

 

Two questions that will likely be in the minds of most knowledgeable Boxing fans. How will Garcia look after nearly two years out of the ring, and how will he respond to fighting at 154lbs. The latter of the two questions might have some questioning what this observer means by how he will respond. 

 

It is important to keep in mind that Danny Garcia began his career as a 140lb. Jr. Welterweight. While it is not uncommon as a fighter progresses in their career to see that fighter move up in weight, the obvious question that will follow them from division to division is how they will respond to not only facing fighters who are theoretically bigger and naturally stronger than them, but how their body responds to taking punches from fighters with those theoretical advantages.  

 

In Jose Benavidez, Garcia will face a veteran of twenty-nine professional fights with his only loss coming against WBO Welterweight world champion Terence Crawford in October 2018. Benevidez last fought in November of last year when he fought to a ten round majority draw against Francisco Torres. Despite his status as a former world title challenger, there are some that will likely view Garcia as a favorite over Benevidez. This will likely be due to Garcia’s higher profile, but the one thing that Benavidez has over Garcia is he has fought at 154lbs. before and has been a bit more active recently than his opponent. 

 

At his best, Danny Garcia is a very compact puncher and has the ability to catch opponents in the midst of exchanges. This presents an interesting task for his opponents to combat.   The challenge for Benavidez will be to avoid getting into exchanges with Garcia. A way this could be accomplished is by trying to box Garcia. Fighters such as Errol Spence and Shawn Porter were able to outwork Garcia by strategically picking their spots, but by also using movement to evade Garcia’s offense.  

 

In contrast to Benavidez, Garcia must show that the move up in weight will not negatively affect him and must do so early in the fight. He must also avoid going into a defensive shell and allowing his opponent the opportunity to try and outwork him as the fight progresses. Garcia has twenty-one knockouts in his thirty-six career wins and even though he may not be known as a fighter with punching power, when he has caught his opponents with power shots and has been able to score knockouts, the results have been devastating. A question that will also be answered in this fight will be whether Garcia will have the punching power at 154lbs. as he did in the 147lb. Welterweight and 140lb. Jr. Welterweight divisions. 

 

While it is tempting to talk about what may be ahead for Garcia should he win this fight now as a Jr. Middleweight, it is probably best to see how he fares in this first testing of the waters at 154lbs. before thinking too far ahead. Although the focus will be on Garcia, this could be a big opportunity for Benavidez to score a victory over a marquee name in the sport. Despite the spotlight being on Garcia, it is important to keep in mind that Benavidez'’ only loss came in a world championship fight where, despite coming out on the short end, he did give a good account of himself in defeat. Boxing is a sport of opportunity and if Garcia for whatever reason is not at his best, and/or does not respond well to fighting at Jr. Middleweight, the conditions could be right for what would be viewed as an upset if Benevidez were to score a victory in this fight. 

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.” 

 

Garcia vs. Benavidez takes place on Saturday, July 30th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. In the United States, the fight can be seen on premium cable network Showtime across cable/satellite teleco providers as well as streamed on the Showtime and Showtime Anytime streaming apps on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices/Smart TVs beginning at 9PM ET/6PM PT. For more information about Showtime including schedules and list of compatible streaming devices/Smart TVs please visit: www.SHO.com. For more information about the Garcia vs. Benavidez card please visit: www.PremierBoxingChampions.com. 

 

*Check your local listings internationally. 

 

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved. 

 

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Thoughts On Spence-Ugas

 

The fight between Welterweight world champions Errol Spence and Yordenis Ugas on the surface was a unification of three of five recognized world championships in the illustrious 147lb. Welterweight division. Like most “Big” fights, it also had several storylines that accompanied the bout. Such as what the condition on Errol Spence’s left eye would be after suffering a detached retina. Could Yordenis Ugas, who was coming off a career-defining victory over Manny Pacquiao in his first defense his world championship, a victory which came as a result of replacing Spence on short notice, further cement his claim as a world champion by going on to defeat Spence as well. Would the winner of this fight be moved toward a showdown with undefeated WBO Welterweight world champion Terence Crawford for what would be an Undisputed world championship bout?

 

Such intriguing questions would in part be answered when the two world champions met on April 16^th at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, TX to unify Spence’s WBC/IBF crown with the WBA world championship held by Ugas. Although this bout had all the appearance of a tactical encounter between two boxer/punchers, sometimes what appears on paper prior to a fight, turns out to be just that on paper. What would instead happen would be a competitive battle of wills.

 

For a time in the early rounds, the two fighters seemed to match each other punch for punch with the sequence usually consisting of Spence throwing first, often in combination and Ugas looking to land counter punches. While Ugas was able to have success with this approach periodically, gradually the story of the fight became the sheer volume of Errol Spence's combinations, which kept Ugas consistently on the defensive and at times appearing overwhelmed.

 

This did not stop Yordenis Ugas however, from continuing to make a fight of it and in round six  he would produce arguably the highlight of the fight by knocking Spence’s mouthpiece out with a right hand and taking advantage when a distracted Spence, trying to get Referee Lawrence Cole's attention about his mouthpiece having been knocked out of his mouth, would be knocked into the ropes by a left hook, straight right hand combination by Ugas. Cole appeared to make a questionable call at this point in the fight by momentarily halting the action to have Spence’s mouthpiece rinsed and put back in.

 

The reason why this was questionable and some may go as far as to call it controversial is because Spence was clearly stunned by this combination and frankly, I feel it probably should have been ruled a knockdown as the ropes appeared to prevent Spence from going down, which under the rules of Boxing is justification for a knockdown being ruled. Furthermore, Cole's decision to halt the action at that particular point allowed Spence valuable seconds to recover and arguably take an opportunity from Ugas to turn the ebb and flow of the fight in his favor.

 

With Spence back in control, the rhythm of the fight continued in his favor and gradually the accumulation of punishment became apparent as Ugas’ right eye would swell shut. Despite the combat increasingly moving in one direction, Ugas nevertheless showed his mettle and continued to fight on. Although no one can take anything away from the heart Yordenis Ugas showed in this fight, the effects of the punishment simply could not be ignored and the bout would be stopped in the tenth round.

 

Despite Ugas protesting the stoppage on advice of a ringside physician, it was revealed in the days following the bout that Ugas had in fact suffered a broken orbital bone in addition to his right eye being swollen shut. As much as one can sympathize with a fighter in Yordenis Ugas’ position, the stoppage of this fight was justified. Although it is hard not to have sympathy for a fighter having lost his world title in a heartbreaking way in not being allowed to continue, such decisions can prove to be crucial in not just a fighter’s ability to continue on with their career, but also their long-term health.

 

Yordenis Ugas has nothing to be ashamed of. He fought like a true champion and he should hold his head high. He is still one of the best fighters in the world and remains a player in the talent-deep Welterweight division. For now, obviously he will need time to heal before he can decide on where he will go with his career off of this loss.

 

As for Errol Spence, the obvious question coming out of this fight is whether a fight can be made between him and undefeated WBO world champion Terence Crawford for what would be the Undisputed Welterweight championship of the world. Although Terence Crawford is as of this writing a promotional free agent and would appear to be in an ideal position to make such a fight happen, his current legal dispute with his former promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank Inc., as well as Spence’s alignment with the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters and manager Al Haymon, who will likely look to negotiate terms that will be favorable for the PBC will likely play a factor in how quickly a fight between Spence and Crawford can be made.

 

While there is certainly no shortage of possible challengers for both world champions, the Boxing world can only hope that Spence and Crawford each tell their respective representatives to make the fight happen and avoid grandstanding and other interests. Promoters and managers after all are supposed to first and foremost look out for the best interests of the fighters they represent rather than their other interests.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

 

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