LAS VEGAS – There will come a pivotal point Saturday night that Terence Crawford is certain Errol Spence Jr. will make the same determination as the other opponents Crawford feels have underestimated him.
Crawford predicted a convincing victory, but not necessarily a knockout during their final press conference Thursday afternoon at T-Mobile Arena. The slightly favored three-division champion promised, though, that Spence (28-0, 22 KOs) will learn the hard way that Crawford is a much more difficult opponent to beat than Spence thinks.
“Everything about Terence Crawford is better than Errol Spence Jr.,” Crawford told Showtime’s Brian Custer, who moderated the press conference. “When you look at everything I do in the ring, it’s better than Errol Spence Jr. So, you know what I mean, come fight night, I’ll be proving each and every one of the doubters wrong once again, that Terence Crawford is the best fighter in the world today.
“And that’s just what it is. Not taking, you know, any credit away from Errol – he’s a great fighter. He’s good at what he do. But when you compare him to Terence Crawford, there’s no comparison. I’m just a better fighter.”
The 35-year-old Crawford can become the first male boxer during the four-belt era to achieve undisputed status in two weight classes by beating Spence in their Showtime Pay-Per-View main event ($84.99; 8 p.m. EDT; 5 p.m. PDT). Spence, of DeSoto, Texas, and Crawford, of Omaha, Nebraska, will fight for Spence’s IBF, WBA and WBC championships and Crawford’s WBO belt in the 12-round main event of a four-fight telecast.
The 33-year-old Spence responded incredulously when Custer asked him why he would win Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.
“You askin’ bogus questions,” Spence said. “I’mma win because I’m the better fighter. I’m the better fighter physically, mentally, it doesn’t matter. I’m more durable than him. Like I said, I’mma break him down and I’mma break his will.”
Crawford’s versatility, most notably his unusual ability to fight from orthodox and southpaw stances with equal effectiveness, ring IQ, conditioning, determination, speed, timing and ability to finish off opponents are among the attributes that have made him one of the best boxers, pound-for-pound, in the sport over the past several years. Spence still considers himself a more fundamentally sound fighter, which the taller, strong southpaw predicted will help him win the biggest fight of their careers.
“[He’s gonna find out] that my skills is superior,” Spence said. “Yeah, he talented. You know, he got God-gifted ability, but we talkin’ about skill set, we talkin’ about what my coach teach. And that’s why he is the ‘Trainer of the Year,’ because of what he teach. You know, he don’t have fighters with just talent. He teach fundamentals, he teach sound basics. And that’s what he’s gonna find out, that I do have great defense, I do have great offense, I do have great stamina. I have all the above. I just don’t have talent.”
By Keith Idec