Terence Crawford says the plan is still for him to get the fight negotiated with IBF/WBA/WBC welterweight champion Errol ‘The Truth’ Spence Jr. to battle him for the undisputed championship at 147.
If that fight can’t get made, Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs) will give up his WBO welterweight title and move up to 154 to go after undisputed junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo.
As the WBO champion, Crawford can force the fight with Jermell, putting him in the position where he’d need to defend against him or give up his WBO 154-lb title, and look weak for having avoided the Omaha, Nebraska native.
Spence (28-0, 22 KOs) says he wants the fight with Crawford as well, but actions speak louder than words. We’ll see how much Spence wants that fight because if he drags his feet, he’ll wind up needing to defend against his IBF mandatory Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis or move up to 154 and have no one to fight.
Spence isn’t going to fight Jermell Charlo because that’s his good friend, and they share the same trainer. With Charlo holding all four titles at 154, Spence won’t have any belts to fight for except the interim WBC title held by Sebastian ‘The Towering Inferno’ Fundora.
“Hopefully. That’s the plan, for us to get the job done on the business side and share the ring. Spence has three of the titles, I’ve got one. It would be for undisputed. This is the biggest moment for us two to fight,” said Crawford to DAZN Boxing Show.
Crawford would be by far the biggest fight of Spence’s career if he takes it, and it would be a risky one.
Spence hasn’t looked so good in his last two fights against Yordenis Ugas and Danny Garcia, and there are some boxing fans who think he isn’t the same since his car crash in October 2019 in Dallas, Texas.
“Me and Errol have got a different style. We fought Shawn Porter in two completely different styles. You never know,” said Crawford.
Crawford’s plan B – Jermell Charlo
“If the fight with [Jermell] Charlo can be taken if the Errol Spence fight doesn’t come to fruition, of course, I’ll take it. I think I match up pretty well,” said Crawford about a fight between him and undisputed 154-lb champion Jermell Charlo.
It might not be the easiest fight to put together between Crawford and Jermell Charlo because the twin hasn’t sounded upbeat about taking that fight.
Jermell has two mandatory defenses due against Bakhram Murtazaliev and Tim Tszyu. Assuming Jermell takes those fights and wins them, he’ll need to defend against his other two mandatory challengers, Tony Harrison and Israil Madrimov.
