Bud Stops Spence To Secure Undisputed Legacy
Terence Crawford secured his legacy with a career-defining ninth-round knockout victory over Errol Spence Jr in Las Vegas to become undisputed welterweight champion.
Dominating and dismantling his long-standing rival at the T-Mobile Arena, ‘Bud’ dropped Spence three times on his way to a masterful stoppage success to confirm his position as the pound-for-pound number one fighter in the world.
In what was labelled a 50-50 showdown, Crawford controlled the anticipated fight of the year throughout its entirety to write his name into the history books by becoming the first man to reign as a four-belt undisputed ruler in two weight divisions.
Now unrivalled at 40-0, ‘Bud’ added another layer to his already illustrious career and credentials as a future Hall of Famer.
“I’m so blessed. I only dreamed of being a world champion. I’m an overachiever,” declared Crawford in the ring after his incredible performance.
“I want to thank Spence and his team, because without him none of this would be possible.”
Despite being outclassed, Spence was optimistic of running it back next with his maiden career conqueror, with a rematch clause available to be activated if desired.
“He [Crawford] told me, ‘good fight’. I wasn’t surprised by his speed and accuracy. Hell yeah, we gotta do this again,” Spence stated.
But it’s Crawford who now holds all the marbles at 147 pounds, following a monumental one-sided victory which has sealed his name alongside past all-time greats of one of boxing’s glamour divisions.
Spence vs Crawford Fight Breakdown
Adding to the iconic fight atmosphere, Crawford lived up to his promise of ring walking alongside legendary rapper Eminem and also draped himself in a fish net – as he prepared to get to work on the so-called ‘Big Fish’.
In a typical feeling out process of the first round, both men measured each other with the jab in a scouting mission, as Bud began from southpaw against a fellow left hander. But it was Spence who started more on the front foot and pressed proceedings.
Despite a cagey opener, the fight immediately sprung into life as Crawford sent Spence crashing to the canvas in the second round with a clinical counter right hand.
Having walked back to his corner with an embarrassed look on his face, Spence came out flying in the third round aiming to instantly redeem himself and forced the pace.
But Crawford continued to sharply return fire with precision across the third and fourth, capitalising on a low lying right hand of Spence and busting him up as the blood began to flow from the unified champion’s nose.
Showing his class, Bud took control across the fourth and fifth, making Spence look frustrated and hurting him at every opportunity as he came in swinging.
Crawford picked his shots brilliantly with accuracy, letting his hands flow from the southpaw position, with Spence already having to dig deep within himself as he sported an early busted face.
Relaxed and completely composed, Bud picked his rival off as he charged in tiredly in the sixth round. A constant solid jab was setting up the hurtful combinations, as he piled the pressure on an evidently weary Spence.
A desperate looking Spence found himself on the floor again twice in the seventh, as Bud launched more stinging counters to the busted up southpaw and maintained his complete domination in Las Vegas.
Wobbly and unable to regain any composure, Spence managed to survive the eighth round as he continued to be stopped in his tracks by a solid Crawford jab. But Bud looked to be biding his time as he slowly dismantled his bloodied-up opponent, circling and prepping for the finish.
That moment came in the ninth round, with Bud connecting at will on Spence’s badly beaten face to force the referee to intervene and call a halt to a historic night at the T-Mobile Arena.
Putting a stamp on his greatness, Crawford moves to 40-0 with a dominant and destructive display and cements his place at the top of the pound-for-pound list today. Legacy secured.
The TBC x BOXRAW Collection
Designed and developed with three-weight world champion and pound-for-pound number one, Terence 'Bud' Crawford. The limited-edition TBC Collection is available online now.