LAS VEGAS — (AP) — Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford will meet in a much anticipated showdown when they fight for the undisputed welterweight championship July 29 in Las Vegas.
“Finally giving the fans what they want!” Spence posted on Instagram. “This one a throwback fight on paper but it could be a one sided (butt) whooping one of the biggest fight(s) of the century!”
Both boxers are undefeated — Spence, who is from DeSoto, is 28-0 with 22 knockouts and Crawford is 38-0 with 29 KOs.
Spence became a three-belt welterweight champion by defending his WBC and IBF titles in a unification bout in front of a home crowd at AT&T Stadium, when his fight against Yordenis Ugás was stopped in the 10th round because of the WBA champ's right eye that was almost completely swollen shut.
Spence holds the IBF, WBC and WBA belts, and Crawford is the WBO champion.
Spence and Crawford spoke with Stephen A. Smith Friday morning on First Take ahead of their fight in Las Vegas. You can watch that interview here:
Months after his TKO victory over Yordenis Ugás, Spence pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated in a 2019 crash that left him seriously injured. Spence, who recovered and returned to fighting, crashed his Ferrari in the early-morning hours of Oct. 10, 2019, on South Riverfront Boulevard in Dallas.
He had been drinking with friends before deciding to drive home. His car veered over the median and flipped several times, a crash captured by nearby surveillance cameras.
Video showed Spence's Ferrari flipping several times.
Spence was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from his car. He was taken to an intensive care unit, where he was treated for serious injuries.
In a statement released through his attorneys, Spence expressed regret for drinking and driving.
"As I recovered, I thought of how much I could have lost and how blessed I was to have a second chance at life, but I also know with this platform I can spread a very powerful message," Spence said. "Don’t drink and drive. Not one drink. It’s not worth it."
Spence won the IBF welterweight world title in 2017 and has retained that title over six fights. He won the WBC welterweight title in 2019, shortly before his crash, and won the WBA welterweight title in the 2022 fight at AT&T Stadium.
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