Errol Spence Jr may not himself have personally made any excuses regarding his defeat to Terence Crawford this past weekend at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. However, Deontay Wilder has come to the defence of the former WBA, WBC & IBF world welterweight champion.
Crawford produced the most glittering performance of his career in defeating Spence, securing three knockdowns in the process, leaving Spence battered, bruised, cut, deflated and ultimately defeated, knowing Crawford truly dominated the contest. As a consequence of victory, Terence made history, becoming the first undisputed welterweight world champion and ensuring he became the first male fighter to be a two-weight undisputed champion.
Spence can enforce the rematch clause in his bout agreement within 30 days of the loss, but Crawford will be able to determine the weight for which the sequel will be contested at.
Post-fight, Spence did admit that he would prefer any rematch with Crawford to be held at 154lbs; a common opinion amongst observers is that Spence is tight at the welterweight limit and that win or lose, rematch or not, Spence’s future does lay ahead in the super-welterweight division.
“We gotta do it again. I’m going to be a lot better. It’ll be a lot closer. It’ll probably be in December and the end of the year. I say we gotta do it again. Hopefully, it will happen 154.”
Former WBC heavyweight champion Wilder, when speaking to a group of reporters at the contest between the two welterweights, believed that the 147lb weight limit was a factor in Spence’s performance and that the former unified welterweight champion looked severely dehydrated even as he performed in the ring on Saturday.
“It was a beautiful fight.”
“It seemed like Errol Spence was a little drained tonight, and he couldn’t really do what he needed to do. Bud definitely took advantage of that. He made it look easy. Hats off to Terence, man. He fought a magnificent fight tonight. That’s what it’s all about. He proved that he was the best of them all. The way he did it he did it with ease and calmness. He looked like he was in another dimension. I really think Errol over-dehydrated himself. You could see it in his skin. You can see it in his eyes and the way he was moving as well. But he fought the fight, and that’s what it’s all about – being strong and going all the way to the end.”
