By: Hans Themistode
With countless matchups in the welterweight division that have yet to be made, a showdown between unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. and WBO belt holder Terence Crawford, still reigns supreme as the best matchup in the division.
Considering their skillsets, picking a winner in their hypothetical showdown has often led to mixed answers. Yet, having shared the ring with both fighters, former IBF 147 pound titlist Kell Brook has a good assumption on who would emerge victorious.
“I think you have to lean towards Crawford,” said Brook during an interview with ProBoxing-Fans.com. “Crawford is number one pound for pound.”
In November of 2020, Brook found himself standing across the ring from Crawford in an attempt to recapture championship glory. Though he started well, the British native was ultimately stopped in the fourth round.
Several years earlier, much closer to his prime, Brook placed his IBF welterweight title on the line against an up and coming Spence Jr. Both fighters would take part in a fight of the year contender at the Bramall Lane Football Ground in Yorkshire, United Kingdom in 2017.
Even with Brook fighting on even terms with the Dallas product, he eventually crumbled underneath his relentless pressure, succumbing to an 11th round stoppage defeat.
Although Brook was stopped in more devastating and violent fashion during his recent showdown against Crawford, when asked to pick the more pernicious puncher, Brook didn’t think twice.
“I’d say Spence.”
Presently, Brook is on the verge of beginning training camp for a long-awaited showdown against British rival Amir Khan. Still, even with Brook stating on numerous occasions that he would love nothing more than to shut the mouth of Khan, he’s fascinated by a possible matchup between his two previous conquerors.
Not long ago, Crawford backed Brook’s praise of his skills by becoming the first man to stop former two-time welterweight champion Shawn Porter. Taking into consideration the current form of Crawford, which entails a nine-fight knockout streak and, more importantly, the long list of injuries and inactivity that has kept Spence Jr. out of the ring since a one-sided victory against Danny Garcia, and Brook believes he has no choice but to side with the pound for pound star.
“It would still be very interesting but I think, just with the way he dealt with Porter, I think you have to start leaning towards Crawford.”