Spence and Crawford Exchange Words

LOS ANGELES – June 13, 2023 – Undefeated boxing superstars and pound-for-pound greats Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and Terence “Bud” Crawford went face-to-face for the first time Tuesday before they meet for the undisputed welterweight championship on Saturday, July 29 in a SHOWTIME PPV (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) clash from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event. Spence is the unified WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion, while Crawford holds the WBO 147-pound world championship.

The winner of this matchup of undefeated superstars will become the first undisputed welterweight world champion in the four-belt era and likely emerge as the sport’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter. Spence vs. Crawford joins Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns, Pernell Whitaker vs. Julio César Chávez and Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao, as a generational matchup of two popular stars whose dynamic and aggressive styles should produce an instant classic.

At their first in-person meeting since the fight was announced, Spence and Crawford both promised to deliver performances commensurate with the anticipation of this historic matchup at the kickoff press conference.

“This is the biggest fight in boxing right now,” said Spence. “This is a legendary fight. It’s an old-school fight. This is like the fights my dad used to tell me about. It’s the best fighting the best.”

“This is definitely a legacy fight and a fight that should be talked about everywhere,” said Crawford. “This is an old school type of fight. All the greats have fought each other and that’s what we’re doing for this era.”

Spence vs. Crawford will be highlighted by three episodes of the Emmy® Award-winning series ALL-ACCESS from SHOWTIME Sports with ALL-ACCESS: SPENCE VS. CRAWFORD Episode One premiering on Saturday, July 8 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and Episode Two debuting on Saturday, July 15 at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT with an Epilogue days after the fight.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Man Down Promotions, TBC Promotions and TGB Promotions, are available through AXS.com.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Tuesday from The Beverly Hills Hotel:

ERROL SPENCE JR.

“Everybody tune in and come out to the fight, because we’re gonna have a Craw-fish boil. And there’s gonna be enough for everybody. I promise you that.

“We had to get on the phone and talk about it, and now it’s finally happening. This is gonna prove not only who the best welterweight is, but who the best fighter in the world is. My mentality is to go all out and give everything. His mentality is the same.

“Terence hasn’t fought anybody. Even Shawn Porter said he didn’t train like he should against you. Kell Brook was already broken. I broke Kell Brook’s other eye, that’s how he got broke.

“Terence is a great fighter and I’m gonna break another great fighter’s will. Mentally and physically, I’m gonna dominate and come out on top.

“I don’t pay attention to the odds. Everything I’ve been through the last few years, I understand being the underdog. A lot of underdogs end up winning, that’s why it’s a bet.

“This is gonna be a one-sided ass whooping. It’s gonna take a few rounds, because he’s a tough dude. But everyone gets broke and we’re gonna break him down.

“I can guarantee you this is gonna be an action-packed, old school type of fight. If you’ve been craving those old fights, you have to tune into this one. This is a legendary fight. Belts aside, you talk about just these two fighters, this is the biggest fight in boxing. Especially because of the action we bring. We’re both going for the victory.”

TERENCE CRAWFORD

“Y’all are going to witness greatness. We measure greatness by eras. July 29, I’m going to show everyone why this era is the Terence Crawford era.

“I’m so excited that we’re here today and that we got this fight done. I’m excited for the fans. I have a gift for each and every one of y’all, because I love the fans. Without the fans, there’s no us. I’m going to give you all a gift with the presence of the two of us on July 29.

“He calls himself the big fish. What happens when you take the fish out the water? You suffocate him.

“A win shows that I’m the greatest fighter of the era. No man has captured undisputed in two weight classes. That solidifies me as the greatest fighter of this era.

“I’m gonna gut him and feed him to everyone that eats fish in here. If he’s a big fish, we’re gonna have enough for everyone, with potatoes on the side. We don’t smoke over here, we go hunting for fish fillet.

“People after this fight are gonna say that Bud Crawford is special. I can assure you that. He’ll give me my respect after the fight after I whoop that ass.

“I can guarantee that everyone is gonna witness something special. Errol doesn’t like to back up. I’m the type of fighter where you push me and I push even harder. We both have big hearts and like to fight. It makes for a great action-packed fight. July 29 is gonna be a great night for boxing.”