Spence vs Crawford: One Year After The Black Super Bowl

A year ago today, Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and Terence “Bud” Crawford stepped into the ring for what was the most anticipated welterweight bout since Mayweather-Pacquiao. The fight was for the undisputed welterweight title, and fans worldwide had waited for years to see these two champions finally face off.

Errol Spence Jr. won his first welterweight title in 2017, capturing the IBF belt by defeating Kell Brook in Sheffield, England. Spence’s performance was dominant, stopping Brook in the 11th round and announcing his arrival on the world stage. On the other hand, Terence Crawford moved up to welterweight in 2018 after becoming the undisputed light-welterweight champion. Crawford won his first welterweight title by stopping Jeff Horn in the ninth round to claim the WBO belt. Both fighters secured their titles in devastating fashion, signaling a new era in the welterweight division.

Both Spence and Crawford sought to unify the division by targeting Keith Thurman, who held the WBC and WBA welterweight titles. However, a series of injuries kept Thurman out of the ring, and he showed little interest in fighting either Spence or Crawford, deeming them not big enough stars. For boxing fans, welterweight supremacy was going to be decided between Spence and Crawford.

Both fighters did their part in stoking the flames for this mega event, in and out of the ring. Crawford, while he couldn’t get big fights, continued to rack up victories. Crawford had a string of stoppages against Jose Benavidez Jr., Amir Khan and Egidijus Kavaliauskas. Spence also continued to rack up impressive victories against the likes of Lamont Peterson, Carlos Ocampo, Mikey García and Shawn Porter. Outside the ring, Spence and Crawford crossed paths backstage at a boxing event headlined by Maurice Hooker and Jose Ramirez. The interaction between the two left fans clamoring for the men to settle their differences in the ring.

Rumors of the bout being discussed between the two parties were making its way around boxing circles. Spence and Crawford, for their part, have always said they wanted the fight. After Spence defeated Shawn Porter in an exciting matchup for the WBC and IBF welterweight titles, it seemed logical that Crawford was next. Then tragedy struck.

On October 10, 2019, Errol Spence Jr. was involved in a horrific car accident in Dallas. His Ferrari crossed a median, flipped multiple times, and ejected Spence, who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt. Miraculously, Spence survived without any broken bones or fractures but sustained facial lacerations. He was hospitalized in intensive care but eventually made a full recovery. Spence later pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated, reflecting on the incident as a life-changing moment.

He returned to the boxing ring a mere 14 months after the accident to face his WBC mandatory challenger, Danny García. Fans and observers were shocked that Spence would take such a tough fight in his first fight back. While his team wanted him to take an easier comeback fight, Spence, in the same defiance that brought him back to the ring in the first place, told his team that he does not do tuneup fights. Spence was victorious in his return against García, winning a dominant unanimous decision.

After the García bout, Spence agreed to terms to stage a huge pay-per-view bout against future hall of famer, Manny Pacquiao. In August 2021, Spence suffered a retinal detachment in his left eye during a sparring session. The injury forced him to withdraw from a highly anticipated fight against Manny Pacquiao. Spence underwent surgery and made a successful recovery, but the injury added another layer of adversity to his career and pushed a potential Crawford bout further down the line.

Crawford was in the final fight of his deal with Top Rank Boxing and it seemed a divorce between the two parties was inevitable. In the ring, Crawford was set to face off against former Spence opponent, Shawn Porter. This was the first time since moving to welterweight that Crawford was facing an opponent that the general boxing fan cared about. The fight served as a measuring stick as to where Terence Crawford truly stood in the welterweight hierarchy. Crawford passed that test with flying colors, stopping Porter in the 10th round and sending him into retirement. Crawford ultimately decided to not renew his contract with Top Rank.

After becoming a free agent, Terence Crawford filed a lawsuit against Top Rank and Bob Arum. Crawford accused Arum of making racist and bigoted statements and damaging the reputations of black fighters, including him. The lawsuit claimed Arum’s bias against black fighters was well-documented and that he favored white and Latino fighters. Crawford sought damages in excess of $10 million, citing Top Rank’s failure to secure a fight with Spence and disparaging comments made by Arum.

Spence returned from eye injury to challenge Yordenis Ugas in a WBA, WBC and IBF three belt unification bout. Ugas had won the WBA belt by defeating Manny Pacquiao in the bout that Spence was supposed to have. Spence dominated Ugas throughout the bout, breaking his eye socket. Spence won via TKO in the 10th round and capturing the third of the four welterweight titles. Spence called on Crawford to step in the ring for undisputed. The fight had never seemed closer.

Despite becoming a free agent, the fight with Spence didn’t materialize. Crawford made unusual requests during the negotiations, including requesting to see Haymon Boxing’s financial books, a move he’d never done to Top Rank Boxing in his decade plus with them. Crawford shocked the boxing world by fighting David Avanesyan on the fledgling network BLK Prime. The decision was unexpected as fans hoped for a showdown with Spence, but the fight against Avanesyan kept Crawford active and in the public eye. Fans began to wonder if boxing’s biggest and most significant bout was ever going to take place.

On May 25, 2023, boxing fans finally got their wish. The fight the world wanted to see had finally been announced. The Black Super Bowl. Errol Spence Jr. Terence Crawford. The undisputed welterweight championship. July 29. Las Vegas, Nevada.

The buildup to the fight was heated, but respectful. Just two men that thought they were the best, fighting for the championship of each other. Spence had heard the talk throughout the years that he was ducking Crawford. Crawford had heard the talk throughout the years that he was ducking Spence. The fight divided media and fans alike.

By the time the fight drew near, talking between the two camps had dwindled. Spence had nothing much to say and Crawford himself became a man of little words. The final press conference remained respectful, with both men exuding confidence in their upcoming bout. However, at the weigh-in, on the night before the fight, the energy shifted. While Spence was his usual quiet, confident self, Terence Crawford showed a side to himself that a lot of boxing fans hadn’t seen before. Terence Crawford made his entrance with the iconic Lil’ Wayne and Jay-Z collaboration, “Mr. Carter,” blaring in the background. Crawford rapped along to every word, confidently sauntering around the arena as if his moment had finally arrived. When it was time for Crawford to speak at the podium, Crawford pounded his hand against the podium and yelled only two words: “Get active!”

The stage was set.

On July 29, 2023, Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford finally met in the ring. The bout was billed as the biggest welterweight fight in decades, with both fighters undefeated and holding all the belts in the division. The fight drew a live gate of over $21M, making it only the 7th fight in the history of Las Vegas to crack $20M at the gate. A raucous crowd of 19,990 people packed the T-Mobile Arena to witness history. The fight itself was expected to live up to the hype, showcasing the skills, power, and resilience of both champions.

What followed shocked even the most ardent boxing fans. From the opening bell, Crawford established his dominance with sharp counterpunching and precise footwork. In a shocking turn of events, Crawford knocked Spence down in the second round with a counter shot that left the mouths of everyone in attendance agape. Spence, known for his relentless pressure and body shots, struggled to find his rhythm against Crawford’s elusive style. By the middle rounds, Crawford’s superiority was evident as he landed powerful combinations that visibly hurt Spence. Crawford knocked Spence down twice more in the seventh round. By then, it was all academic. In the ninth round, Crawford delivered a series of devastating punches that forced the referee to stop the fight, crowning Crawford as the undisputed welterweight champion.

The shock and the awe of the absolute dismantling of Errol Spence Jr. at the hands (fists) of Terence Crawford left the entire sports world shook. Reaction from media, fans and other sports figures ranged from jubilant I Told You So’s to vitriolic anger.

In the immediate aftermath of the bout, Spence expressed his intention to pursue a rematch. Both fighters had a rematch clause in their contract, but the rematch never materialized. Spence allowed the rematch clause to expire and announced that he would no longer fight at welterweight, opting to move up to junior middleweight instead. Spence has yet to return to the ring. Rumors of a fight against unified junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora circulated, but nothing was confirmed.

Outside of the ring, Errol Spence Jr. had a falling out with his longtime trainer Derrick James. In April 2024, James sued Spence for fraud and breach of contract, seeking no less than $5 million. James claimed he was shorted for his services in training Spence for the Crawford fight and four other pay-per-view bouts.

Following his victory over Spence, Terence Crawford had a victory parade in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. The victory tour by his fans seemed never ending. With the Spence rematch possibility in his rear view, Crawford became a free agent once again. He signed a deal with Turki Alalshikh to stage his fights as part of Riyadh Season. He is set to return to the ring on August 3rd against Israil Madrimov for the WBA junior middleweight title, his first fight since the Spence bout. With both fighters now at junior middleweight and looking to collect the belts, another showdown between the two seems inevitable.

The bout between Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford was more than just a fight; it was a culmination of years of anticipation, adversity, and triumph. One year after Spence-Crawford, the legacy of that night continues to reverberate through the boxing world. Spence’s journey from a near-fatal car accident and a career-threatening eye injury to stepping into the ring against Crawford is a testament to his resilience. Crawford’s fight for recognition and respect, both in and out of the ring, culminated in the biggest victory of his career and certified him as a boxing legend. While the rematch may never happen, the impact of their first encounter will be remembered as one of the greatest nights in boxing history.