A contender for fight of the year, history will be made this week in Las Vegas as Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford square off for all the welterweight gold. Taking place at the T-Mobile Arena, this championship bout will determine the first undisputed welterweight champion in the four-belt era. In one corner stands Spence Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs) who holds the WBA, WBC, IBF, and The Ring welterweight titles along with being recognized as the No. 4 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. His opponent, Crawford, also maintains an unblemished record with a remarkable 39-0 mark and is the reigning WBO welterweight champion while also being recognized as a three-division world champion.
For this report, SBS will be going over what to look for from each fighter, a predicted winner, along with more thoughts and notes about boxing wagering.
Hailing from Dallas, Texas, Spence Jr. aka “The Truth” is one of the most impactful southpaw strikers in boxing. Currently a multiple-belt champion, the 33-year-old has won the vast majority of his fights via knockout at 22 wins and is coming off a TKO victory over Yordenis Ugás in the 10th round. In that bout, he not only retained the WBC and IBF titles but also was able to win the WBA (Super) welterweight title in the process. This will be his first bout since April of 2022 so he will have plenty of rest heading into this stellar fight.
In terms of chinks in his armor, there are not many for the American boxer. However, the closest he has come to losing was when he matched up with Shawn Porter in September 2019 and the bout came down to a split-decision victory for Spence Jr. Nonetheless, Crawford will be the best opponent the Texan has faced to date. A blistering fighter with tremendous power, Spence will do all in his power to become the unified champion.
A fighter that has held multiple world championships in three weight classes, Crawford aka “Bud” is an incredibly skilled fighter. In terms of his fighting style, the Nebraskan is known for his in-ring IQ, counter-punching prowess, and also his ability to switch effectively from orthodox to southpaw throughout bouts. Recognized as a former “Fighter of the Year” by ESPN in 2014 and 2017, and has 30 of his fights by way of knockout. Moreover, he has not let a fight come down to a decision since 2016, winning his last 10 fights by way of some sort of stoppage.
In terms of recent common opponents, the one that jumps off the page is Shawn Porter squaring off against both combatants. While Spence Jr. was able to narrowly stave off Porter, Crawford stopped him in his tracks in a late 2021 bout where the champion won by way of TKO in the 10th round. Moreover, he was spectacular in his last matchup in December where he knocked out David Avanesyan to retain the WBO welterweight title. If he can keep this same pace going then he has an excellent chance of knocking off Spence.
Prediction: Expect this fight to go the distance, but give the slight edge to Crawford here given his lengthier resume.
Once you are all squared away with your latest round of boxing wagers, SBS has you covered with all kinds of great additional information to keep you rolling along. Of course, for even more betting markets and news on the topic at hand, make sure to check out the SBS boxing betting sites guide which goes over the latest markets on the sport. Moreover, given the championship nature of this bout, an excellent page to look into is the SBS VIP sports betting sites rundown which goes over all you need to know about VIP sports betting. Finally, an excellent page for anyone looking to maximize their bets, the SBS best bonus betting sites breakdown goes over a ton of different ways to utilize welcome bonuses.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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