Nine rounds were enough for Terence Crawford to beat, in Las Vegas, his compatriot Errol Spence Jr. With this success, Crawford won his fourth world belt in the welterweight category, a real feat and even a first in the noble art. On the ground three times, Spence finally fell under the blows of Crawford. Referee Harvey Dock ended the fight after 2 minutes 32 seconds in the ninth round.
Both boxers were undefeated so far: while Spence Jr, 33, conceded his first defeat in 29 fights, Crawford, 35, signed his 40th victory in as many appearances in the ring. The latter therefore added the WBC, WBA and IBF titles to his own WBO crown.
Bud becomes the first undisputed world welterweight champion of boxing’s four major federation era, which began in 2004. The former world lightweight champion, who later unified the super lightweight class, also becomes the first man to win all the belts in two different weight classes.
“Tonight I think I showed how big I am,” said Crawford, who remains on an 11-consecutive knockout streak, eight of them at welterweight. It is true that the native of Omaha signed an incredibly dominant performance against an opponent who was only deceived in the first round.
Crawford started unleashing his shots in the second, punishing Spence who went down late in the restart. Spence Jr. was still advancing in the third round, but the power and precision of Crawford’s replies were devastating. He landed a series of punches in the fourth, including a left hook that rocked his opponent, forcing the ringside doctor to examine him late in the round. In the seventh, Crawford brought down Spence Jr. again with a right uppercut, then again with a chin strike in the dying seconds.
As Spence Jr. struggled to stay on his feet, the referee ended his ordeal, sparking a frantic celebration from Crawford who then had a hug and words of encouragement for his battered rival. “I only dreamed of becoming a world champion, but I’m gifted,” explained the winner. “No one believed in me when I started, but I made everyone believe in me,” he added.
This triumph allows the American to support his claims to the unofficial title of best current boxer in all categories.
