LAS VEGAS — Errol Spence Jr. could have a substantial weight advantage over Terence Crawford when the welterweight champions finally come to blows Saturday, Showtime commentator Raul Marquez said Wednesday to ProBox TV.
The undisputed 147-pound world title fight sees two unbeaten fighters come together to determine the No.1 male fighter in America, if not the entire world, in a bout broadcast on Showtime Sports pay-per-view from the T-Mobile Arena.
It is close to a 50-50 fight, and may come down to whether one prefers Crawford’s craft or Spence’s inside-fighting.
As ProBox TV has seen Spence and Crawford at their respective workouts last week, and up close once again on fight week, one thing is clear — Spence is undeniably the bigger man.
But whether that bigger physique will help or hinder him, due to being able to either impose himself in the ring or harm himself through an excruciating weight cut, remains to be seen.
Marquez, though, believes it may help, and even expects Spence to add almost 30-pounds of mass once he’s rehydrated after Friday’s weigh-in.
“I’ve known Spence since he was an amateur, and have known Derrick James, too,” said Marquez, a Mexican former fighter from Texas who was super welterweight champion in 1997.
The Showtime commentator added: “Errol, man, he spars the Charlo brothers and he’s for sure naturally the bigger guy. When he gets into the ring he could be 170, or 175.
“That makes a big difference.”
Spence has already said that Saturday’s contest may well be his last at 147 but Marquez expects the Dallas southpaw to be just as competitive when he moves up a division.
“I think he’d be great, and he can’t wait to move up to 154. He’s been at this weight class ever since the Olympics so it’s time for him to move on. He’s 33 years old.
“Every 10 years it gets harder. I’m 51 and it’s harder to make the same weight than when I was 41. Trying to maintain my weight is a discipline.
“For Errol, at 154, it’s time for that and I think he’ll do very well.”
