In a thrilling development leading up to the much-anticipated fight between Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. on July 29th, former IBF/WBC welterweight champion, Shawn Porter, has declared his unequivocal support for Crawford. Porter has staked “a lot of money” and his life on Crawford’s victory, reaffirming his long-standing belief in Crawford’s superiority. Porter’s convictions have been shaped by his own experiences in the ring; he suffered a knockout defeat by Crawford in 2021 and a gruelling twelve-round fight against Spence in 2019 which left him significantly impacted.
Crawford and Spence had markedly different strategies in their respective bouts with Porter. While Spence chose to brawl with Porter, a decision that subjected Porter to a brutal beating, Crawford opted for a more cautious approach. He maintained distance, focusing on his boxing skills rather than engaging in an all-out war with Porter. This style, although deemed less entertaining than Spence's aggressive approach, resulted in a more controlled victory for Crawford.
Speaking on his podcast, Porter said, “If I had to bet my life on it, if I had to put money on it, a lot of money on it, I’d put my money on Terence Crawford.” Both Crawford and Spence have their own perspectives on the upcoming bout. Crawford to Showtime Sports stated, “He took the bait, and now, July 29th, we got the fight, and I’m going to get him to the bank.” On the other hand, Spence confidently claimed, “I feel like I’m the Apex, and he’s definitely going to come to fight. He’s going to try to put on a great performance, but I know I’m just a better fighter overall. I know I’m going to break him.” With such opposing views, the Crawford vs Spence fight is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing clashes in recent boxing history.
Image Credit: Sky Sports