Terence Crawford, Errol Spence Jr. squander the golden opportunity

Fans complain about the proliferation of increasingly meaningless world titles, overseen by sketchy sanctioning bodies. The incompetent rating continues to appreciate others who believe all boxers deserve a fair shake.

However, the biggest problem in the sport may be something else: The failure to make the biggest fights possible.

My heart sank knowing that Terence Crawford would fighting David Avanesyan on December 10 instead of Errol Spence Jr., with whom Crawford negotiated to create arguably the most exciting match in recent years.

My first thought was, “Let’s start again. The fans are about to be devastated.” And they clearly are.

I understand that boxers risk their lives every time they step over the rope and generally have short careers. They have the power to push everything that is important to them in negotiations, whether it involves money or something else.

However, when egotistical, over-demanding boxers let fans down like Crawford and Spence, they do damage to both their reputation and their sport.

My instinct is to swing my arms up and walk away. And I know I’m not alone.

I don’t know what obstacles Crawford and Spence didn’t overcome. Crawford blamed Spence for the stalemate, telling ESPN that Spence and his managers had “pulled their ass for months” and that Spence “didn’t want the fight to be as bad as I did.”

Meanwhile, a Spence representative is said to insist that its client has addressed all of Crawford’s concerns and is confused as to why Crawford did not agree to the settlement.

I guess both men were stubborn in some respects.

The fans want the fight. Crawford and Spence say they want the fight, which will earn them and their associates huge salaries. The winner can become the biggest star in the sport, especially if he wins convincingly.

Isn’t that the last chance in boxing? Isn’t that a dream? Crawford and Spence have it within their reach but they refuse to take it. And it is the fans who suffer the most.

It’s reminiscent of another much-anticipated heavyweight bout that negotiations have dragged on for years, Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao. They ended up fighting in 2015 but both were way past their primes, making the fight feel like an old fashioned game.

Is that where we’re headed with Crawford and Spence?

Crawford (38-0.29 KOs) isn’t showing any signs of slowing down yet, but he’s 35, the age at which most boxers start to slide. He may have been a bit past his prime. Indeed, the clock is ticking for both Crawford and his encounter with 32-year-old Spence (28-0.22 KOs).

Good news – eh, hope news – is that they did not close the talk, by all accounts. That could mean Crawford is still committed to fighting Spence but wants to stay busy until an agreement is reached. He hasn’t fought this year.

Thus, the fight with Avanesyan, will keep Crawford sharp even if the native of Russia does not present a significant challenge.

Crawford and Spence are said to be aiming for the first quarter of next year for their fight, though there’s no reason to believe they’ll come to terms. They simply have more time. We’ll see what they do with it, if any.

We can only hope that they recognize the unusual opportunity ahead of them and take the necessary steps to keep the fight going.

One step they may want to consider: compromise. For the sake of their supporters.