Welterweight world titlist Terence Crawford, perhaps frustrated by his inability to land a major fight in his own division, stepped up his public outcry for a unification fight with Errol Spence Jr. on Sunday night.
Spence, who has begun training for a return to the ring in May or June following a horrific one-car accident in October, has said he wanted to fight Crawford as well but has been accused by some of avoiding the bout. On Sunday, Spence posted to his social media account that “y’all can believe the bs if you want,” before adding that he doesn’t duck anyone.
The post caught Crawford’s eye, who responded to Spence.
“So what’s been the hold up homie? When I came to the division y’all all said I had to get a title first,” Crawford wrote. “Now you changed yo mind and talking about wrong side of the street. So I’m just here for another excuse what’s up.
“I’m ready when you ready. Matter of fact I been ready before I even had a 147 LB fight. Like I been said you got these people fooled but not me. when ever u get back right I’ll smoke you. all you gotta do is sign the contract next and I’m on yo head.”
Crawford, the former undisputed junior welterweight world champion and a former lightweight world titlist, made his third welterweight title defense by knocking out mandatory challenger “Mean Machine” Egidijus Kavaliauskas in the ninth round on Dec. 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
With his mandatory obligation out of the way, Crawford, a Top Rank fighter whose fights are on ESPN platforms, wants a big fight but the rest of the top welterweights, including Spence, titleholder Manny Pacquiao and former titleholders Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia and Keith Thurman, all fight under the Premier Boxing Champions umbrella on either Fox or Showtime.
Bitter rivals Top Rank and Premier Boxing Champions have rarely made major fights with each other, the Feb. 22 rematch between heavyweight titlist Deontay Wilder and lineal champion Tyson Fury being an exception.
It’s a situation not lost on Crawford (36-0, 27 KOs), 32, of Omaha, Nebraska.
“And stop using the f—— promoters, managers and advisors for that weak ass excuse y’all doing,” Crawford wrote. “They work for us y’all dumb mf if you really want a fight you tell them. I don’t give two f—- that’s who I want to fight. let yo nuts drop you say you yo own boss Errol Spence Jr.”
Spence (26-0, 21 KOs), 29, of DeSoto, Texas, scored the biggest win of his career on Sept. 28 when he won a split decision against Shawn Porter to unify two 147-pound world titles in a pay-per-view headliner at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Just 2 1/2 weeks later, Spence crashed his Ferrari in Dallas at about 3 a.m. on Oct. 10 but escaped without any major injuries. He faces a misdemeanor driving while intoxicated charge.
In his first interview since the accident, Spence said during the PBC on Fox telecast on Dec. 21 that he has returned to training and planned to return to the ring in May or June. He also said he want a tune-up fight for his return.
“I’m the top dog of the division,” Spence said in the interview. “I am the king of the welterweight division. Those guys wish I wasn’t back so fast but I am back and I want to fight the top names in the division – whether it’s Manny Pacquiao, Terence Crawford or Danny Garcia, I do want the top names and I do want to be the undisputed welterweight champion of the world.”