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Outside of a cool ring entrance and competitive first round, nothing went right for Errol Spence Jr. this past Saturday night. He boastfully pontificated his ability to not just beat Terence Crawford but to embarrass him, walk through him, and
Jaron Ennis has been quietly knocking on the door politely asking to get in. At this point, however, he’s ready to kick it down. For years now, the Philly star has flashed the sort of talent that’s seldom seen. With the 26-year-old hunting for a world title shot, he was forced to play the waiting game while the top of the welterweight division unclogged itself.
Keyshawn Davis wasn’t able to get the knockout win last month but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t proud of his performance. It was yet another case of Davis’ youth and skills being too much for an old veteran that’s seen better days.
Stephen Fulton was up against it. Naoya Inoue seemed like a force of nature on paper, one that was quickly arriving in the super bantamweight division. The moment he walked through those doors at 122 pounds, however, Fulton barricaded his path. His WBC and WBO titles were proudly draped over his shoulders and his undefeated record made the Philly native believe he was essentially untouchable.
Shakur Stevenson is not only talented but he also has an eye for it. From the moment the former Olympic silver medalist threw on his first pair of boxing gloves, he studied those who came before him. Floyd Mayweather, Sugar Ray Leonard, Ray Robinson, and a handful of others - are considered the best fighters the sport of boxing has ever seen.
Richardson Hitchins is still laying down the groundwork for what he believes will be a Hall of Fame worthy career. While he’s shown hubris, Hitchins has dominated every single fighter that’s stood across the ring from him.
Shakur Stevenson isn’t the biggest fighter around but Terence Crawford respects his skills to the highest degree. So much so that the pound-for-pound star picked up the phone and asked his good friend to make the trip to Colorado, Springs.
Both Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford have little to prove at this point. Essentially, outside of a few up-comers, the two have cleared out the welterweight division.
His time in the welterweight division has been filled with ups, downs, and painful weight cuts - emphasis on the latter. Throughout it all, Errol Spence Jr. has put all of his trials and tribulations behind him and found a way to position himself for the biggest fight in recent history.
The buzz and mark that Naoya Inoue is having on the sport of boxing is indelible. His legacy and eventual placement in the Hall of Fame is already cemented but the Japanese star is beginning to rewrite the history books.