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Terence Crawford has stopped 13 out of his last 14 foes, including 10 in a row, but for his fight against Errol Spence Jr. on July 29, Bud wants to make sure that at the very least, he puts on a boxing clinic and winning performance.
“Like I always say, I never go in there looking for the knockout. But if it comes, it comes, that’s icing on the cake,” Crawford said in an interview with BoxingScene.com and other reporters ahead of his undisputed welterweight title fight.
Spence’s (28-0, 22 KOs) power isn’t too shabby either. He has a 78% career knockout, but three out of his last four opponents have gone the full 12-round distance. Spence’s last opponent, former titleholder Yordenis Ugas, suffered a broken eye and was forced to quit in the 10th round.
When Crawford (39-0, 30 KOs) was asked if he’s ready for Spence’s power, he said, “We shall see … [Spence] can start off fast or slow. He can do what he wants. I assure you I will be ready with whatever he brings to the table. If I need to start fast, then that’s what I’ll do.”
The 35-year-old Nebraska native Crawford’s power has carried with him no matter the weight class he’s competed in. His seven-fight, five-year run as a welterweight has featured only stoppage wins.
Crawford realizes nothing will come easy against the equally skilled and competent Spence. He just wants to make sure his hand get’s raised at the end of the night.
“My only plan is to become the undisputed welterweight champion of the world. That’s the only thing I am thinking about right now,” said Crawford. “All of the fighters that I have fought have prepared me for this moment.”
Crawford and Spence will meet at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and the fight will be carried on Showtime pay-per-view for $84.99.
Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer, and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com, or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.