The most anticipated fight of the year in boxing arrived on Saturday night in Las Vegas, with Terence Crawford (39-0-0, 30 KOs) met Errol Spence Jr. (28-0-0, 22 KOs) for the title of unanimous welterweight champion of the world, as the IBF, WBA, WBC, and WBO belts were all on the line at T-Mobile Arena.
Crawford entered the ring with Eminem, as the stars were out for the massive event, with Spence Jr. being joined by fellow Texas native BigXthaPlug, and with the atmosphere in T-Mobile absolutely electric, the fight began. However, it became clear early that Spence was going to have his hands full, as he simply could not figure out the Bud Crawford jab, as he peppered him early and often, earning a knockdown in the second round with a jab combination to give Spence his first taste of the canvas in his professional career.
DOWN GOES SPENCE IN ROUND 2
@terencecrawford hits the combo
#SpenceCrawford pic.twitter.com/AACur1s70y
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) July 30, 2023
The early rounds didn’t see Spence gain much ground, as he just consistently got outworked and outlanded by Crawford, who was absolutely on top of his game in this fight. In the seventh round, things began to spiral for Spence as he got sent down for the second time by a counter right hand.
BUD DROPS SPENCE AGAIN
#SpenceCrawford pic.twitter.com/sdD8VdN2WY
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) July 30, 2023
Then, right before the bell Spence took another flush right hook to the chin that dropped him for the third time, as it was starting to get late early.
OH MY!
One more time at the bell for @terencecrawford
#SpenceCrawford pic.twitter.com/SjkKYfqSaQ
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) July 30, 2023
In the ninth round, Spence continued to take a beating and after a flurry of punches with no real response, the referee jumped in to mercifully stop a one-sided beatdown, giving Crawford a TKO win and the title of the first 4-belt welterweight champion in boxing history.
THE POUND-FOR-POUND UNDISPUTED KING
@terencecrawford stops Spence in round 9 to etch his name in history
#SpenceCrawford pic.twitter.com/ShT4tQpFoE
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) July 30, 2023
It was an absolute clinic from Crawford who landed 185 of his 369 punches in the fight including 87 of 206 with the jab and 98 of 163 power punches, as he was simply lethal with the counters. Spence, meanwhile, could not hit Crawford much of anything, as he landed just 96 of 480 punches overall, including a dismal 33 of 296 with the jab. There will be no disputing whether Crawford earned the crown of undisputed welterweight champion of the world, and now the question is simply who is next after an all-time performance.
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