By Keith Idec
Errol Spence Jr. doesn’t think he needs to send messages to Terence Crawford in post-fight interviews.
Spence considers his impressive performances more than enough to get his point across to Crawford regarding their much-anticipated welterweight championship showdown. The undefeated IBF welterweight champion previously made it clear that he wants to fight the Danny Garcia-Shawn Porter winner and Keith Thurman before facing Crawford because they’re all advised by Al Haymon and he feels those fights will be easier to make.
The 28-year-old Spence, of DeSoto, Texas, typically fights on Showtime. He isn’t contractually tied to a promoter, but his fights are affiliated with Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions organization.
The 30-year-old Crawford’s fights are televised by ESPN or streamed through ESPN+. Crawford (33-0, 24 KOs), of Omaha, Nebraska, is promoted by Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc.
If Spence (24-0, 21 KOs) and Crawford (33-0, 24 KOs) can continue winning, their welterweight title unification fight figures to be one of, if not the biggest bout in boxing when it takes place.
“I have no message for the man,” Spence told FightHype.com following his first-round knockout of Carlos Ocampo on Saturday night in Frisco, Texas. “No message at all. I have no message for him at all. I’m tired of giving out messages. I’ve been giving out messages. Eleven straight knockouts. What other messages should I give to that man? But I don’t gotta give no messages to him.
“He’s doing his thing. I’m doing my thing. We’re gonna meet up. It’s gonna be a big-money fight. Should be on pay-per-view. It’s gonna happen, man. I hope Terence Crawford keep winning. I hope he continues looking impressive. I hope I keep winning, keep looking impressive, because we’re gonna meet up, make big money.”
Crawford predicted “Spence for the kill” in a Twitter message he issued Friday after watching footage of Ocampo on YouTube. Mexico’s Ocampo (22-1, 13 KOs) was the mandatory challenger for Spence’s championship, but beat pedestrian opponents or worse before facing Spence.
When asked about Crawford’s comments, Spence said, “Yeah, he know I’m a killer. That’s why, man. Come on.”
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
