Terence Crawford to fight Errol Spence Jr. for the welterweight championship in July in Las Vegas
Terence Crawford vs. Errol Spence Jr.’s welterweight superfight “is scheduled for July 29 in Las Vegas – with both boxers earning eight figures and the loser able to trigger a rematch in 30 days”
- Crawford and Spence had negotiated last year, but they broke down
- The likely return should occur before the end of 2023
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According to various sources, Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. signed an agreement to fight for the undisputed welterweight championship at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on July 29.
The terms were negotiated by advisers to both boxers – PBC’s Al Haymon and CAA’s Ish Hinson – per ESPN. The matchup is expected to be the most anticipated boxing match since Floyd Mayweather defeated Manny Pacquiao, billed as the Fight of the Century, in 2015.
Crawford and Spence are both guaranteed eight figures for the Showtime PPV fight, sources reported. In addition, a bi-directional rematch clause has been included in the deal. It can be activated 30 days after the first battle in July.
The rematch is part of Crawford’s two-fight deal with PBC, according to ESPN. The likely return bout should take place before the end of 2023 before both boxers move to 154 pounds.
If they each win a fight, a trilogy fight will likely be scheduled. And whoever claims victory is expected to go on to fight in the undisputed junior middleweight championship. Jermell Charlo is the current defending champion of the tournament. He and Spence both train with Derrick James in Dallas, Texas.
Terence Crawford and Errol Spence will fight on July 29 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
The battle for the undisputed welterweight championship takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
Tuesday’s news of a fight in July comes after several attempts to get both Crawford and Spence in the same ring, as the two have been labeled the world’s top two welterweights over the years without having actually fought each other.
July’s bout will now determine the best boxer in the world regardless of weight class, even though Crawford and Spence are on the 147-pound list.
Crawford, 35, is a favorite to win the contest and comes first in ESPN’s pound-for-pound rankings, with Spence three places behind him at No. 4. He is undefeated (39-0) and knocked out David Avanesyan in the sixth round in December to retain his WBO welterweight belt.
That was the first time in over a year that Crawford had fought. The pay-per-view bout came about after negotiations between Crawford and Spence fell through in October.
Spence crashed his white Ferrari in Dallas in 2019 and pleaded guilty to drunk driving
Spence last fought in April 2022, when he defeated Yordenis Ugas in a 10th-round TKO victory in Arlington, Texas, to claim a third welterweight title.
Two months later that year, the 33-year-old pleaded guilty to a drink-driving charge after crashing his speeding Ferrari in 2019.
Prosecutors said that after visiting multiple bars in Dallas, Spence was speeding when his Ferrari swerved across the median on October 10, 2019 at about 3 a.m. and flipped over several times. Spence, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was thrown from the vehicle but suffered no broken bones or fractures and was treated for facial lacerations.
Spence’s lawyers released a statement on his behalf, saying that after drinking with friends, he “finally wrecked my car and almost killed himself.”
“Luckily no one else was involved in the accident and I am very grateful for that,” he said in the statement. “It was an incident that would change my life dramatically.”