Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford have turned in many impressive performances in their decorated careers.
That’s one reason their pay-per-view fight for the undisputed 147-pound championship on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is so fascinating. They’re both accomplished champions bound for the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Spence (28-0, 22 KOs) has the better resume of the two, with victories over a series of high-profile opponents. However, Crawford (39-0, 30 KOS) is a three-division titleholder, meaning he has had to face a long list of legitimate contenders. He’s 16-0 in world title fights.
Which of their victories stand out most?
Here are three fights in the careers of both men that helped shape them into the champions they are today.
ERROL SPENCE
Mikey Garcia
Date: March 16, 2019
Result: UD 12
Background: I was convinced before the fact that Garcia was too small for Spence – the four-division titleholder had moved up in weight for the fight – but the fact is Garcia was unbeaten (39-0, 30 KOs) and one of the best all-around fighters in the world at the time he fought Spence. And Spence dominated him, winning an unthinkable shutout decision given Garcia’s ability. The most striking aspect of his victory was that he outboxed a superb boxer, which underscored his technical ability. Spence revealed an impressive side of himself that night.
Kell Brook
Date: May 27, 2017
Result: KO 11
Background: People might not fully appreciate the fact Spence went to the hometown of an elite fighter and stopped him in 11 rounds to win his first world title, putting him down twice in the process. Brook lost respect late in his career but at the time he met Spence he had lost only an ill-advised 160-pound fight against knockout artist Gennadiy Golovkin. Brook was an excellent fighter at that time. And Spence just handled him, building a lead on the scorecards before stopping him. He made a big statement with that victory, which lifted him to elite status.
Shawn Porter
Date: Sept. 2019
Result: UD 12
Background: Porter, an excellent all-around fighter, was at his best and as motivated as he could possibly be for that fight. He was primed. And Spence beat him by a split decision. It wasn’t easy. They engaged in many furious toe-to-toe exchanges, which is why it was the Fight of the Year. But Spence got the job done, punctuating his victory by putting Porter down in Round 11. Spence’s performance was similar to his fight with Mikey Garcia in that he beat Porter at his own game, outbrawling a brawler. He left no doubt about his toughness. The victory might’ve clinched Spence a spot in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
TERENCE CRAWFORD
Viktor Postol
Date: July 23, 2016
Result: UD 12
Background: People might forget the respect Postol had at the time he met Crawford in a 140-pound title-unification bout. The clever Ukrainian was undefeated (28-0, 12 KOs) and coming off a sensational 10th-round knockout of Lucas Matthysse, who was a hot fighter at the time. And Crawford simply dominated him, putting him down twice in the fifth round and winning a one-sided decision (118-107, 118-107 and 117-108). Postol is the last fighter to go the distance with Crawford, who would go on to become undisputed 140-pound champion before moving up to 147 in 2018.
Kell Brook
Date: Nov. 14, 2020
Result: KO 4
Background: Brook had been knocked out in back-to-back fights a few years earlier by the much bigger Golovkin and Spence and was nearing the end of his career. However, the talented Briton was a former titleholder – he won his belt by outpointing Porter in the Los Angeles area – and was only 34 years old. Still, he was overwhelmed by Crawford, who needed less than four full rounds to take him out. That was quicker work than the victories of both Triple-G and Spence. Crawford’s stoppage of Porter came immediately after this fight, giving him significant back-to-back victories that bolstered his resume.
Shawn Porter
Date: Nov. 20, 2021
Result: TKO 10
Background: Crawford had been criticized in some quarters for lacking a defining fight on his resume. This victory resolved that issue, at least to some degree. Porter had universal respect, particularly after pushing Spence to his limits in a split decision loss two fights earlier. And Crawford delivered a convincing performance, methodically breaking Porter down before stopping him in Round 10. Porter never fought again, leading many to believe he had a foot outside boxing when he fought Crawford. However, the bottom line is that Crawford took out a first-rate opponent. And it became a lot more difficult to throw shade at his accomplishments.
