Roy Jones Jr believes that with the lagging that Errol Spence Jr and Terence Crawford are doing in failing to make a fight between them, the contenders at 147-lb division could pick one of them off.
We’re already seeing Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and Vergil Ortiz Jr rising up, knocking on the doorsteps for a world title shot against IBF/WBA/WBC welterweight champion Spence (28-0, 22 KOs) and WBO champion Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs).
With Spence & Crawford getting up there in age and not staying active as they once did, they could get beaten by the young lions Boots or Ortiz.
There are already many boxing fans who believe that Boots Ennis would beat Crawford. Spence might be another story, but if he’s still not fighting next year, it won’t be surprising if Boots were to beat him as well.
“I don’t know. It’s kind of strange,” said Roy Jones Jr to Fight Hub TV about Errol Speence Jr vs. Terence Crawford fight not happening.
“What I’m really afraid, to be honest with you, if they’re not careful, the guys under them that are looking at them, saying ‘If they’re scared to fight each other and can’t seem to make a fight and we want to go whoop one of them.’
“If the best won’t fight the best, ‘Let me go beat that person so I can become the best, and I’m going to fight him. Now, we miss another fight. Joshua vs. Wilder, they wait around too much.
“If we’re not careful, we might end up missing Usyk vs. Fury. If you have the best against the best and you don’t know who is the best, come on, bro. You owe it to the public.
“The good thing about the lightweight and light welterweight division is that most of those guys move up and down. Most of the major guys are already 147-pounders, and they’re fighting at 135 or 140, but they’re already 147-pounders.
“Shakur Stevenson can make 140 or 147. I believe Devin [Haney] can make 140 or 147, and I know Tank can make 140 or 147. I think Teo can make [147]. All those guys can make anywhere from 135 to 147.
“It’s just a matter of time before they meet, but somebody at some point will become the cream of the crop. They’re going to be in a position where they’re going to be forced to fight each other.
“The problem with Spence and Crawford is that they both rose to the top of the division. When Sugar Ray Leonard and Tommy Hearns rose to the top of the division, they had to clash.
“In boxing, we’re used to seeking two people to rise to the top and clash. It’s not like basketball and football, where they mandate the best have to play the best. In boxing, it becomes a choice.
“To give the fans what they want, we have to give them that. We cannot give them what they want at all costs. For me, it’s a crazy thing. I knew for a long time that Bud wanted to fight.
“Bud called me for advice. I know Bud is all in. The other side [Spence], it’s not just the fighter; it’s the people around him. So it makes it very difficult because you can’t go against your people.
“We got denied the opportunity several times already. When we got an A & a B, we got to find out which one is the best,” said Jones Jr about Spence vs. Crawford.
