Terence Crawford vs. Errol Spence Jr. | TNT Sports PPV - 29 July 2023

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Sources: Terence Crawford, Errol Spence Jr. agree to July 29 fight

Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. have agreed to a deal to fight for the undisputed welterweight championship on July 29 at Las Vegas' T-Mobile Arena, sources tell ESPN.

PBC's Al Haymon, who advises Spence, and CAA's Ish Hinson, who advises Crawford, negotiated and now will deliver the most anticipated boxing match since the mega fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao in 2015.

Crawford and Spence will each earn eight figures guaranteed for the Showtime PPV fight, sources said, and there's a bidirectional rematch clause that the loser can trigger within 30 days after the fight. It's a two-fight deal for Crawford with PBC, sources said. After the probable return bout between Crawford and Spence, which must take place before the end of 2023, both boxers are expected to move up to 154 pounds.

If they split the two fights, a trilogy fight is overwhelmingly likely. And whoever comes out on top is expected to push for a shot at the undisputed junior middleweight championship, which is currently held by Jermell Charlo. Spence and Charlo both train in Dallas with Derrick James.

The deal concludes years of Crawford and Spence circling one another as the world's two best welterweights without actually stepping in the ring.

But now, they're set to meet in one of the biggest events the sport can offer, a matchup that will decide supremacy at 147 pounds, and lend the winner a claim as the best boxer in the world regardless of weight. Already, Crawford is ESPN's No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer, with Spence three spots behind him at No. 4.

Spence (28-0, 22 KOs) was slated to move up to 154 pounds for a summer bout against Keith Thurman, but both Spence and Crawford were determined to fight each other next. The fighters met in March and came to an agreement on big-picture terms, sources said.

Integral to the deal were the fighters' respective advisors. Haymon and Hinson, who have a long-standing relationship, worked together on the second and third heavyweight title fights between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder.

And now, another super fight is on the horizon pitting Crawford and Spence in a fight that fans have waited years for.

Since Crawford (39-0, 30 KOs) captured the WBO welterweight title in his first fight at 147 pounds in June 2018, there have been calls for a summit meeting against Spence. For years, one impediment loomed large: rival promoters.

Spence, who holds the WBA, WBC and IBF titles, is with PBC while Crawford formerly was with Top Rank, entities that rarely conduct business with one another. Top Rank did promote Crawford's title defense against PBC fighter Shawn Porter in November 2021, but that was a bout mandated by the WBO.

Crawford, 35, became a promotional free agent following the 10th-round TKO victory over Porter, paving the way for a potential bout with Spence. The sides engaged in talks for much of last year and were on the verge of completing a deal in September, but talks collapsed at the 11th hour.

Crawford went on to score a highlight-reel sixth-round KO of David Avanesyan in December in his native Omaha, Nebraska. Spence, 33, last fought in April 2022, a 10th-round TKO victory over Yordenis Ugas in Arlington, Texas, to pick up a third welterweight title.

The fight was Spence's first since he underwent surgery in August 2021 to repair a detached retina. He was set to fight the legendary Manny Pacquiao that same month but withdrew from the matchup because of the eye injury. But Spence came back better than ever, just like he did when he recovered from a serious car crash in October 2019 that threatened to jeopardize his career.

Fourteen months after that accident, Spence routed Danny Garcia via decision. And while many boxers have been forced to retire due to a detached retina, Spence returned from the surgery -- just like Sugar Ray Leonard in the 1980s -- to stop Ugas.

Now, Spence and Crawford are set for their toughest challenge yet, the event that will determine their legacies once and for all. And it's happening because the fighters pushed behind the scenes to finalize the matchup at long last.

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“It’s a couple of years too late. I still feel they’re somewhat on top of their game,” said Dan Canobbio to Inside Boxing Live on the Spence vs. Crawford fight.

“It’s hard to tell because Crawford has been inactive in recent years, especially against tip-top guys. Spence has been out of the ring with health problems from multiple car accidents and the eye,” said Chris Algieri.

“So there are many question marks with these guys, but there’s no question this is a huge fight. Once we get close to it, this is going to be a massive, massive fight.

“The timing of this is no coincidence. Coming on the heels of last weekend’s fight between Haney and Lomachenko with all the controversy surrounding that,” said Algieri.

[a force]

Whilst Crawford is the older man I think the delays have suited him more. A few years back I fancied Spence but after the car crash & years of Spence getting himself down to 147 make me think Crawford is now favourite. I think Spence can be hurt now as the Ugas fight showed, a few years ago when he was big & healthy at the weight I think he was a lot sturdier.

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If anyone’s gonna get a dodgy decision against them.. it’s gonna be T-Craw.

[KiwiRider]

If anyone’s gonna get a dodgy decision against them.. it’s gonna be T-Craw.

I hope not.
Thing is, I'm fairly sure it will go to the cards. And even more sure we will get a selection of the usual suspect judges

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[handsofstone]

Best fight in boxing, amen

[Blueprint]

Amazing fight

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Best not be PPV in the UK

[handsofstone]

Be great if someone other than Fite TV got a PBC card, BT need to up their American content

[jamesmcdonnell]

About bloody time, christ, they've been talking about this how long now - 3 years?

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About bloody time, christ, they've been talking about this how long now - 3 years?

3??

[jamesmcdonnell]

About bloody time, christ, they've been talking about this how long now - 3 years?

3??

Fair point, more like 5-6 years

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Crawford: "I Called Spence and We Agreed To Make Fight Happen - We Got it Done!"

“This time around felt completely different. You know, me and Errol we actually got on the phone and we both agreed that we both were going to do our best to make sure this fight happened. And we got it done," Crawford told The MMA Hour.

"We here now, we’re about to put on, you know, one of the best welterweight showdowns and in a long time. I called him, I’m like hey listen, man, let’s get it on, and he was like he was all for it so, we both had the same mission, the same goal, to become undisputed, welterweight champion of the world and make history.”

[garethhop]

Be great if someone other than Fite TV got a PBC card, BT need to up their American content

Why?

[handsofstone]

Be great if someone other than Fite TV got a PBC card, BT need to up their American content

Why?

Why what?

[garethhop]

Why do BT need to up their American content?

Apols if not clear.

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Isaac Cruz vs Giovanni Cabrera joins Spence vs Crawford on July 29th

The July 29th Errol Spence Jr vs Terence Crawford undercard is starting to come together, as lightweight contender Isaac Cruz is set to square off with undefeated Giovanni Cabrera in the co-feature.

News of the matchup first broke almost three months ago.

Cruz (24-2, 17 KO) made a name for himself in a gritty losing effort against Gervonta Davis in December 2021, but failed to capitalize on his momentum. His two-fight 2022 campaign saw him brutalize the remains of Yuriorkis Gamboa, then do the same to the undersized Eduardo Ramirez in a WBC eliminator.

Cabrera (21-0, 7 KO) is at least an actual lightweight. He notably upset Rene Tellez Giron in a fight that came together when both missed weight against their original foes and handily outclassed Gabriel Flores Jr six months later.

Still, not exactly the kind of matchup that makes up for a 10-month layoff on Cruz’s part. Let’s hope it at least lads to bigger things; he’s been angling for a rematch with Davis and the WBC eliminator implies that he’s in line to challenge Devin Haney at some point, though he’s behind Shakur Stevenson in those rankings.

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[CaptainSpacerod]

Apologies if this has already been posted, it’s quite an old vid but it’s an interesting insight into their characters