By: Hans Themistode
The results are in, and by all accounts, all parties are fairly satisfied.
A peak audience of 2,078,000 tuned in to watch WBO welterweight belt holder Terence Crawford outmuscle former titlist, Kell Brook, via fourth-round stoppage in their ESPN main event. Overall, an average of 2,029,000 flipped on their television screens to watch the event in its entirety.
Outside of ESPN’s recent telecast which was headlined by then unified lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko and then, IBF belt holder Teofimo Lopez, Crawford vs Brook was the most watched bout on ESPN in several years. An average of 2,729,000 and a peak number of 2,898,000 boxing fans witnessed Lopez make history on October 17th, as he became the youngest undisputed champion in boxing history with his win over Lomachenko.
Crawford’s night at the office may be a massive success but it wasn’t his best showing in terms of the numbers. That would come three years earlier in June of 2017 when Crawford took on Jose Benavidez Jr. The two spent most of their fight build up exchanging verbal threats with one another and had to be kept apart on several occasions. Their words reached its crescendo during their weigh-ins when Benavidez pushed Crawford which resulted in the pound for pound star throwing a punch at his opponent. Just one day later, Crawford would make Benavidez pay for his actions with a 12th round stoppage victory.
Things weren’t nearly as tense during Crawford’s fight build up with Brook. With that being said, the pair exchanged heated words as Crawford became apoplectic with Brook’s threats that he would rip away his WBO title and bring it back home to England. Those words however, failed to materialize on the night.
Brook started well, jabbing his man and winning the early exchanges. Yet, it was Crawford who made several adjustments which resulted in Brook hitting the deck in the deck in the fourth round before he was subsequently stopped a few seconds later.
