Nearly two years have passed since Terence Crawford dismantled Errol Spence Jr. in a terrifying display of superior boxing skills. Bud not only broke the Texan’s undefeated run but also left his spirit in tatters via a 9th-round KO. The loss was so devastating that The Truth has yet to make his return to the squared circle.
Just a few months after that explosive clash, Crawford dismissed the notion of Errol Spence Jr earning a Hall Of Fame induction. The 37-year-old has still not changed his opinion and despite Spence being a former unified welterweight champion, Crawford still feels Spence needs to do more to earn his place in the annals of boxing history.
Bud Crawford is an Errol Spence Jr. fan
Terence Crawford recently joined Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo on the Pound-4-Pound podcast for a candid, hour-long chat about his storied career, including the clash against Spence in 2023. The conversation started when Usman remarked how he, back in 2023, was eagerly looking forward to the Spence-Crawford clash and boldly remembered predicting it to be an even battle. However, what went down was completely unprecedented as the two-division undisputed champion won the fight “easily.”
July 29, 2023, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA: Action between WBC, WBA and IBF unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. 28-1 22KOs white black & red and WBO champion Terence ÃâËBudÃââ Crawford 40-0 31KOs gray in a bout for the undisputed welterweight championship of the world. Crawford won the fight by TKO in the 9th round in a sensational performance that say him drop Spence to the canvas multiple times. Las Vegas USA – ZUMAd151 20230729_znp_d151_041 Copyright: xAdamxDelGiudicex
Reflecting on the fight, Bud responded, “I said everything that was gonna happen,” insisting he’d mapped out the fight’s outcome in advance even if fans and pundits didn’t buy it until they saw it unfold. However, despite the fight, the 37-year-old was quick to set the record straight about his feelings towards Spence. He revealed that he bears no hate towards the Texan. In fact, “I’m a Spence fan,” he declared, recounting how he even asked for Spence’s autograph during the build-up. The way The Truth had fought his way to the top of boxing inspired Crawford in spite of Spence being younger than him.
However, according to the Nebraskan, the beef started when Spence and his team tried “to blemish my accomplishment just to boost him up,” he said. However, in reality, “everything that I’ve accomplished he’s(Spence) still trying to accomplish,” said Terence Crawford. That bold statement prompted a shocked Usman to ask, “You do not think Spence will be in the Hall Of Fame?”
Without even flinching, Terence Crawford replied, “Right now, No. How? He fought in one division. You know, he unified the title but wasn’t undisputed. They already called him a weight bully. He beat a Kell Brook, coming off an eye injury,” throwing shades on Spence’s career. Still, the Omaha native insisted he’s not out to trash Spence and that he is not “hating on” Spence. He is just not sure “if he make it to the Hall of Fame with the accolades that he didn’t got right now.”
While Terence Crawford is doubtful about Errol Spence Jr.’s Hall Of Fame status, his confidence in his own legacy is unshakable. He is certain of his own Hall of Fame induction, even if he retires today. Speaking about leaving the sport, it looks like the Nebraskan might be edging towards a big career change after the Canelo Alvarez fight.
Terence Crawford’s career at a crossroads
At this moment, the Omaha native’s focus lies on the upcoming Canelo Alvarez clash and nothing else. Yet, with his 38th birthday just weeks after the fight, whispers of retirement have started swirling. After all, boxing is a young man’s game. However, it looks like retirement is the last thing on Terence Crawford’s mind. In a recent interview with Ring Magazine, Bud claimed, “Once you reach that mountaintop, what do you do from there? It’s after Canelo; where do you go, right?” “Who knows, who knows?” leaving the question hanging with a cryptic ‘Who knows?’
He tossed out a few vague possibilities but admitted he’s not locked into any one path yet. For now, his sole mission is to conquer Alvarez. Everything else can take a backseat. Still, Terence Crawford is well aware that he still holds the WBA Super Welterweight title, keeping the return to 154 lbs still on the table. “It’s a lot of great fighters out there,” Crawford replied, sizing up the 154 lbs division. And if every champion at 154 fights themselves, he could face the last champion in a winner-takes-all showdown.
Do you think Errol Spence Jr. is still out of the Hall Of Fame picture? Furthermore, what will be Terence Crawford’s next move? Let us know your thoughts down below.
The post Terence Crawford Blocks Errol Spence Jr.’s Path to Boxing Hall of Fame appeared first on EssentiallySports.