LAS VEGAS — Terence “Bud” Crawford vowed to show the world that he is the best welterweight boxer on the planet. No one is arguing with him today.
Crawford, the pride of Omaha, Nebraska, became the first undisputed welterweight champion in the four-belt era with a dominating ninth-round technical knockout over Errol Spence, Jr. Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.
Terence Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) dropped Errol Spence Jr. (28-1, 22 KOs) for the first time in the second round with a left hand and twice in the seventh with right hooks before referee Harvey Dock stopped the fight amid a dominating flurry from Crawford at 2:32 of the ninth round. Spence, his face swollen and battered, was barely on his feet and enduring a consistent beating.
Crawford takes the WBC, WBA, and IBF titles to add to his WBO belt. The victory also makes him the first male to be an undisputed champion in two divisions after wiping out every champion at junior welterweight.
“I’m an overachiever,” Crawford told the sold-out crowd and pay-per-view audience. “Nobody believed me. But I made everybody a believer. I also want to thank Spence and his team, because without him all of this wouldn’t be possible.”
Crawford said being the undisputed champion, “means everything because who I took the tile from.”
Spence said he hopes to seek a rematch despite being dominated. “He was the better man,” Spence said. “He was using the jab and my timing was off. He would catch me in between shots. He was just better tonight. He did his thing.”
Terence Crawford’s confidence showed before fight
Oddsmakers had Terence Crawford listed as a slight favorite in a much-anticipated matchup that was five years in the making. Those backing Crawford favored his overall athleticism and ability to fight either Southpaw or Orthodox. Yet, there were just as many people predicting Spence would use his size as a natural welterweight and a relentless attack on his opponent’s body to eventually overwhelm Crawford. “I’m going to win because I’m the better fighter, physically, mentally,” the DeSoto, Texas, native, said. “I’m more durable than him. “I’m going to break him down and I’m to break his will.”
Crawford was just as confident. “I can do it all,” he had said before his 18th consecutive championship bout. “I’m not too concerned with anything. He’s going to have to pull out everything. I’m going to deal with everything he does fight night.”
It didn’t take long for Crawford to prove he was right. Spence was saved by the bell at the end of the second round where he found himself in trouble after being dropped by an uppercut followed by a right hand from Crawford. It was the first time Spence had been down in his career.
Spence tried to re-establish himself early in the third round by backing Crawford into the ropes. But Crawford regained control with a series of razor-sharp counterpunches that put Spence on the defensive. By the end of the round, Crawford began to step toward Spence, willing to exchange from close range. Displaying fast fists, he launched two hard left hooks that rocked Spence. By the end of the fourth, Crawford was landing at will. “He had his timing down,” Spence said.
A doctor checked on Spence at the start of the fifth round and elected to let the fight continue. Known for his vicious body attack, Spence tried desperately to target Crawford’s midsection. But Crawford responded by fighting stronger, faster, and landing with pinpoint accuracy.
Spence took a dreadful beating in the seventh. Crawford dropped him for the second time with a right hand just as the Texan was closing in. A brave and virtually helpless Spence got up again, but with seconds remaining in the round Crawford sent Spence to the canvas again with a clean right hook.
From there, Crawford was like a predator stalking his prey as Spence went into survival mode. By the ninth, only Dock could save him.
Few anticipated such a one-sided bout, but the celebrity-driven crowd of 19,990 was left awed by Crawford’s brilliance. Spence vowed to be better if there’s a rematch tentatively scheduled for February. “Hell yeah we’ve got to do it again,” Spence said. “Hopefully, at 154 (pounds).”
George Willis is a columnist for Sportsnaut. Follow him on Twitter.