By: Sean Crose
Terence Crawford spoke on an Instagram live feed on Tuesday night to explain his side of the recent negotiation between him and the Errol Spence team. According to Crawford, he contacted Spence last May, which led to fruitful negotiations between him and Spence’s advisor Al Haymon. “Al is a nice guy, man,” Crawford admitted. “Al is a charming guy. He is a wonderful prince. I love talking to him, but at the same time Spence is Al’s guy and I’m not. ” Crawford went on to say that he and Haymon were “passing the numbers,” after which a number of potential investors stepped in.
“I have two companies that have contacted me,” says Crawford, “who want me and Spence to secure $25 million.” According to Crawford, he contacted Spence about the matter. After initial discussion about the new development, Crawford claimed Spence never bothered to call back, so he reached out to Haymon himself about the matter. “Al told me straight up, ‘I don’t let anyone touch this fight,’” Crawford said, adding that, with little progress being made, he then offered to sit down to sort things out.
“I said ‘Listen Al, why don’t you meet Spence and you because you’re his agent, I’m both my agent and my attorney and we’re just causing this fight. .. and Al told me bluntly: ‘It’s never happened in history ever. “Crawford replied on live stream that he himself” had never heard of a boxer who wasn’t secure in a fight…it was new to me but it was something I was willing to do. In general, Crawford was clear about how he saw the negotiations for a war with Spence. “I was the only one taking all the risks,” he said. Crawford went on to add that a guarantee would never be sent his way.
“I’ve never been bailed, not once,” Crawford said. “It’s how much confidence and belief I have in myself – I took it all.” Crawford, if he is to be believed, is absolutely certain that he will defeat Spence in the ring. “I took the risk,” he said. “I believe in my abilities and I believe in myself… Errol Spence, he can’t say that.”
Crawford said Haymon is confident Spence will be fine with or without a fight for his world’s undisputed welterweight championship. “Al told me if I wasn’t in this fight, he’d go and Errol Spence would make eight figures without me,” Crawford said. “I’m not the kind of man to sit on my ass, to sit on my arms for free for a man.”
