By: Sean Crose
One of the attractions leading up to next week’s welterweight matchup between rival kings Terence Crawford and Errol Spence is the question of how the match will actually play out. Obviously, with 50 knockouts between them, both WBO champion Crawford and WBC, WBA and IBF champion Spence know how to end the night early. However, these are not just powerful punchers. Every man has a high IQ, which means they know what to do and when to do it. While their upcoming fight could play out in the manner of such legendary battles and Leonard-Duran 1, it could also be a seesaw, such as Leonard-Hearns 1. It’s hard not to mention Leonard when it comes to weight class. His fights in the early ’80s set the gold standard for other heavyweight fights that are now upheld.
Like Leonard before them, Spence and Crawford know when to fight and when to box (except for Leonard’s first fight with Roberto Duran, where Leonard allows the Panamanian to insult him in the head first – a mistake the legendary boxer will correct in the rematch). With that said, the Crawford-Spence match is sure to turn into a reckless one. That’s not to say the fight can’t be high-octane. Just watch the 1985 Hagler-Hearns fight to see how a mere fist fight can be a prime example of outstanding boxing skill. Still, it’s hard to imagine Crawford or Spence going bankrupt when the opening bell rings.
After all, Crawford likes to take his time before actually getting engaged. It is simply the Nebraska native method. Considering the fact that Crawford’s last ten fights ended in the long haul, it’s clear that his unconventional ring approach worked. Spence’s knockout rate has dropped a bit since facing the likes of Shawn Porter and Mikey Garcia. However, in his final bout, Spence reminded everyone just how destructive he could be by knocking out Manny Pacquiao conqueror Yordenis Ugas in the 10th round. Furthermore, Crawford only beat top rivals Kell Brook and Shawn Porter after they were beaten by Spence. In other words, it’s hard to predict which way next week’s battle will turn out.
In the end, it will all depend on who can control the tempo. If Spence can use his powers well enough to effectively/regularly prevent Crawford from landing him, the night will be on the Texans. The switchman Crawford could have dazzled his men in the ring, however, Crawford will be the one to walk out of the ring with the undisputed champion. The question of who will have the advantage more often in a match can make all the difference.
