American boxer Terence Crawford achieved a stunning victory over compatriot Errol Spence Jr., winning by technical knockout in the ninth round to retain his WBO title and claim Spence’s WBC, WBA Super, and IBF welterweight titles.
As of May 2022, Spence was ranked number one in the world at welterweight by the Transnational Boxing Rankings Council and The Ring, and second by Boxrec and ESPN. He had held the IBF title since 2017, the WBC title since 2019, and the WBA (Super) title since 2022. Leading up to the fight on July 29 in Las Vegas, Spence boasted a record of 28 professional wins, including 22 knockouts, achieving a striking success rate of 78%. However, he suffered his first loss in this bout, relinquishing his titles to Crawford.
Before the match, Crawford made a memorable entrance to the T-Mobile Arena with legendary rapper Eminem, accompanied by the iconic song “Lose Yourself,” which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2003.
Crawford displayed exceptional skill and dominance throughout the fight. In the second round, he knocked Spence down for the first time in his career with two precise left punches. By the seventh round, Crawford had knocked Spence down twice more, ultimately securing the technical knockout victory in the ninth. Spence, with a bleeding face, was forced to defend himself, prompting the referee to intervene.
CompuBox statistics highlighted Crawford’s superiority: he landed 185 out of 369 punches, achieving a 50% accuracy rate. In contrast, Spence landed only 96 out of 480 punches, with a mere 20% accuracy. Crawford’s jab success rate was 42% (87 out of 206), compared to Spence’s dismal 11% (33 out of 296). Furthermore, Crawford delivered 98 accurate heavy punches, reaching a 60% success rate, while Spence managed only 63 with a 34% accuracy.
Crawford’s victory established two significant records: he became the first boxer to unify the four major titles in the welterweight division and the first to unify two different weight classes in the four-belt era, following his success in the light welterweight division. “Like I said, I just want to be world champion,” Crawford remarked after the fight. “I always aim for success beyond my expectations. No one believed in me when I moved up in weight, but now I have made everyone believe.”
Spence acknowledged Crawford’s superior performance, stating, “Crawford played better today. He made good use of the jabs, but I didn’t time it correctly. I have no excuses for this failure.”
A rematch clause exists that Spence can activate within 30 days, and he is determined to improve in the second fight. The winner will have the option to choose whether the rematch occurs at 147 pounds (66.67 kg) or 154 pounds (69.85 kg). Spence hopes for a 154-pound rematch, indicating it could take place in December.
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