Errol Spence Jr and Terence Crawford face off to crown a four-belt undisputed welterweight champion on July 29 in Las Vegas.
Such is the intrigue surrounding the two undefeated champions finally fighting, there are predictions coming from fans, pundits, fighters and legends of the game.
Three-division world champion, James Toney, has weighed in with his pick.
Toney fought 92 times over a career that spanned almost three decades. If Spence and Crawford want to deliver on their promise of a ‘throwback fight’, they need to look no further than ‘Lights Out.’
A natural talent with an extremely sharp counter, Toney finished 47 contests inside the distance. He told Mill City Boxing that he’s predicting Crawford to do similar.
“Spence is a helluva fighter, Crawford’s a helluva fighter – let’s see who here is the best. I like both of them but Crawford’s my dude … and really I think he’s too much for Spence. But we’ll find out.
I’m not being biased, I’m just saying Crawford’s a better fighter. He’s fought the better competition.”
“A late round stoppage, yes. Knockout.”
Toney said Crawford’s switch-hitting style could be the key to breaking Spence down. To back up his prediction, he compared their performances against two shared opponents – Kell Brook and Shawn Porter.
“When Spence fought Kell Brook, he went [eleven] rounds with him, right? Crawford fought him – four rounds, fight was over. I love [Shawn] Porter, he’s my guy, but he beat the brakes off him.”
“100% [Porter exposed Spence when he fought him.]”
Crawford stopped Porter in the tenth of their encounter in 2021.
Two years earlier, Spence was taken the distance by ‘Showtime’, but a knockdown in the eleventh helped him win a split decision victory. It was a thrilling fight which Porter kicked off quick, testing Spence by setting a blistering pace.
Styles make fights, and fans are yet to see how Spence and Crawford gel, or just how much can be read into the Brook and Porter performances.