By: Sean Crose
He was as relaxed at the post fight press conference as he appeared to be while fighting Errol Spence an hour or so earlier. Terence Crawford, now undisputed welterweight champion of the world, remained as low key as ever after thoroughly thrashing fellow titlist Errol Spence for eight plus rounds earlier in the evening. “I want to give honor to God,” the Nebraskan said humbly. “I want to thank Errol Spence and his team for me and him coming together.”
He’s a fascinating guy, Crawford. It’s said he has a mean streak, and perhaps he does. More than anything, though, he’s always come across as intense, as if under that chill persona was a drive to succeed that was almost frightening. “We train so hard in training camp that it may look easy in the ring,” he said. “I worked my ass off to where I got today.” Where the man got to was the top of boxing’s current heap, no small thing when one considers the sport’s loaded talent pool. “I’ve been working for a long time for just this one moment,” Crawford admitted. When asked where he thinks he now stands in regard to boxing’s all time greats, the man was completely honest. “I’m up there,” he said.
He may well be at this point. Crawford’s decimation of Spence on Saturday night was brutal to the point of being frightening. Spence had never lost a match. Indeed, many, perhaps even the majority of fans, thought the Texan would walk out of the ring the winner. Yet the fight wasn’t even close. With fast, stinging shots, Crawford turned Spence’s face into a puffed and bloody image of received violence.
The fact Spence lasted as long as he did in the ring against Crawford is a testament to the man’s courage, as was the fact Spence wants a rematch. Crawford, of course, is game, even though he almost made his performance against Spence on Saturday look easy. “One thing about me, I don’t take no fighter lightly,” Crawford said. “I’m come into the ring 110 percent prepared.” And then some.
Still, it became obvious during the post fight press conference that Crawford doesn’t want to remain in the fight racket forever. He’s been at this game a long time, after all. “In two months I’ll be 36 years old,” he said. “I got to sit down with my team and talk about my future.” The guy could hang up his gloves tomorrow and still retire as a legend. Undisputed indeed.
Image: Premier Boxing Champions