Boxing

FOR THE last five years any knowledgeable boxing fans would tell you the fight they most wanted to see was Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford against Errol Spence Jr.With the unbeaten super-stars contracted to rival promoters it seemed – once again – the sport was going to be robbed of yet another dream fight.
Terence Crawford takes on Errol Spence Jr. this SaturdayCredit: The Mega Agency
Errol Spence Jr. faces Terence Crawford in his primeCredit: Getty
Fortunately Crawford decided to break away from Bob Arum’s Top Rank organisation to become a free agent and frustration rapidly turned to elation.
At least we didn’t have to wait until either was past their sell-by date like Manny Pacquiao was when he fought Floyd Mayweather Jr, eight years ago.
It certainly didn’t take Crawford long to agree to meet Spence and their mouthwatering match-up takes place on Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Terence revealed he actually got on the phone to Errol to ensure the biggest fight in boxing got made.

Crawford was the undisputed world light-welterweight champion before moving up to win the WBO welterweight crown five years ago.
And if he should beat Spence, who holds the WBC, WBA and IBF 10ston 7lb championship belts he will become an unprecedented two-division unified champion.

Errol Spence vs Terence Crawford: Date, start time, TV channel and live streaming info
These days many world championship confrontations are one-sided foregone conclusions long before the sound of the opening bell.
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This kind of epic locking of horns with the best clashing with the best happens once in a generation.
The T-Mobile Arena will host the bout between Errol Spence Jr. and Terence CrawfordCredit: Alamy
But attempting to find the winner between Crawford and Spence has divided opinion on bother sides of the Atlantic.
Over in the States they call this a ‘pick-em fight’ and this is reflected in the betting odds. Crawford is the slightest of favourites at 8/13 with Spence an 11/8 chance.
Both have impeccable records. Crawford, 35 on paper has the more impressive of the two having KO’d 30 of his 39 victims while Spence, 33, has blasted out 22 of his 28 opponents.
Neither are in the first flush of youth and they haven’t been very active in the last couple of years – Crawford has been in action just twice in the last 20 months while Spence has been in the ring only twice in the last 2 yrs 8months.
Errol was sidelined for a long period after crashing his Ferrari at high speed. Not wearing a seatbelt, he was catapulted out of the car ending up in intensive care.
Errol Spence Jr. will put his world titles on the line in Las VegasCredit: The Mega Agency
Miraculously he didn’t break a single bone in his body and though Dallas police charged him with being drunk in charge he avoided jail and was put on probation.
He said “Our fight will be the most anticipated and action-packed fight boxing has seen in the past 30-40 years. this definitely is a legacy fight.
“It will be a battle of wills and it will depend on who can break who down. I know he’s not as durable as me.”
Both men are are equally skilful, strong and powerful though Spence a natural welterweight is much the bigger- one of his few advantages – and he probably has the better defence.
But Crawford is the ultimate switch-hitter – he is just as devastating whether he’s fighting southpaw or orthodox and Kell Brook and Amir Khan who were both beaten inside the distance by him will testify to that.
Terence Crawford is bidding to become the undisputed welterweight world championCredit: Getty
Sugar Ray Leonard-Roberto Duran I in Montreal and Leonard-Tommy ‘Hit Man’ Hearns I in Las Vegas, at the beginning of the1980’s were the two greatest welterweight fights I covered for SunSport.
If Crawford-Spence turns out to be only three quarters as good as those two pulsating wars, fans will have the pleasure of seeing a a classic.
Crawford said “This fight puts a stamp on everything I’ve ever accomplished in the sport. This is the fight boxing needs.
“This fight boils down to who has prepared the best and on fight night who is on their A-plus game. Watch me fry this fish.”
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Because I believe Terence is just that bit more versatile I take him to get a paper-thin points victory and return to Omaha laden with three more belts to add to his enormous collection.
Crawford-Spence can been seen in Britain on TNT Sports PPV in the early hours on Sunday for £19.95. More

PROMOTER Eddie Hearn has blasted Tyson Fury for “caring about one thing only – the money.”And he told Piers Morgan that The Gypsy King cannot be considered a modern great until he beats Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua.
Eddie Hearn made the comments about Tyson Fury on Piers Morgan UncensoredCredit: Talk TV
It came after Morgan asked why Anthony Joshua was yet to fight FuryCredit: Talk TV
Fury has been the WBC heavyweight champion since 2020Credit: Getty
Fury, 34, is taking on former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in a crossover fight in Saudi Arabia on October 28.
A bout between himself and unified champion Oleksandr Usyk collapsed earlier this year, with many boxing fans criticising Fury for his part in the clash not happening.
Usyk is now set to take on another Brit, Daniel Dubois, on August 26.
A fortnight before that, Anthony Joshua faces Dillian Whyte in an all-British dust-up at the O2 Arena – with AJ in line to fight Deontay Wilder if he comes through unscathed.
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And Hearn, who promotes Joshua, believes Fury still has some way to go to solidify himself as one of the very best ever in the division.
When asked on Piers Morgan Uncensored why Fury vs Joshua has not happened yet, he said: “Tyson Fury is not always as truthful as he appears on Instagram.
“Timing is something. Television rights and partnerships are something. Instagram is something, ego is very much something.”
He continued: “We have got to be honest. Tyson Fury cares about one thing only – the money.
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“Don’t talk to me about legacy, don’t talk to me about undisputed.
Joshua, left, takes on Dillian Whyte, right, on August 12Credit: Getty
“He has beaten Klitschko and Wilder – that’s his wins.
“He needs to beat Usyk and AJ and then we can talk about him – as I believe he is – as one of the greatest heavyweights of all time.
“Listen, he’s unbelievable. What he’s come back from, incredible, couldn’t commend him more.
“But to create a legacy, to create that history, to go down as a modern day great, to put yourself up with [Muhammad] Ali, Lennox Lewis, Joe Frazier, those guys, he’s got to beat Usyk.
“And he’s got to beat Anthony Joshua. But particularly Usyk.”
Fury remains undefeated as a professional, winning 33 of his 34 fights – the only blemish coming in a controversial draw with Wilder in 2018.
He then went on to stop the American in their second and third contests.
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Olympic gold medallist Usyk boasts a perfect record having won all 20 of his pro bouts – claiming world titles at cruiserweight and heavyweight.
Joshua has lost three of his 28 fights – one to Andy Ruiz Jr and two to Usyk.
Oleksandr Usyk, left, defends his belts against Daniel Dubois, right, on August 26Credit: Reuters More

ANTHONY JOSHUA revealed he will never forget one “peach of a punch” that “shook him down to his boots”.And that was from none other than long-time rival Dillian Whyte, whom he will face again on August 12 at the O2 Arena in London.
Anthony Joshua revealed he will never forget a punch Dillian Whyte dished out at himCredit: Getty
Whyte and Joshua will face off again in August at the O2 ArenaCredit: Getty
Whyte fired a “peach of a punch” that “shook Joshua down to his boots”Credit: Action Images – Reuters
The two heavyweights first faced off in 2015 with Joshua winning via seventh-round stoppage.
But Whyte made sure AJ would never forget that fight with a thunderous left hook in the second round.
Joshua told DAZN: “As I’ve gone to throw a right hand, you’re supposed to sit back on your back foot and rotate to get your leverage.
“What I did, I lent over my front hand, which puts me in the firing line and boom! A left hook hits me.
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“I didn’t see it coming, because I wasn’t interested in what was coming back, I’m just interested in attacking Dillian.
“It was a peach of a punch and it shook me down to me boots.”
Joshua is gearing up for a fight with immense importance for his career after two consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk.
The 33-year-old, who bounced back with a win over Jermaine Franklin in April, and Whyte have been rivals since their teenage years.
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And Joshua’s fans are hoping his fellow Brit will help him rediscover his old tenacity.
The stakes are high for AJ as a win could lead to a blockbuster clash against Deontay Wilder.
However, the heavyweight remains optimistic ahead of the crucial fight.
Joshua said: “It’s a huge night for my career. I’m gonna be victorious, 100 per cent.
“That’s my goal, that’s my plan. And yeah, that’s my motivation.
“So yeah, I’m looking forward to it. Respect to the team. May the best man win.” More

BOXING fans were stunned after Yoshiki Takei KO’d Ronnie Baldonado in devastating fashion with a sickening body shot.The flyweights faced off on the undercard of Naoya Inoue’s dominant win over Stephen Fulton in Tokyo.
Yoshiki Takei dropped Ronnie Baldonado with a sickening body shotCredit: TR Boxing
Baldonado suffered a delayed reaction to the shot before hitting the canvasCredit: TR Boxing
Inoue produced a sublime eighth-round stoppage in the main event, but there was an equally ruthless knockout earlier on in the evening.
Takei, 27, dropped Baldonado in the third round of their contest inside the Ariake Arena.
And the shot that did the damage was a vicious punch to the midriff of the Filipino fighter.
As is often the case with body shots, the impact from Takei’s left hand did not initially seem to hurt Baldonado.
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But after the pain set in, he dropped to the canvas and failed to beat the referee’s count.
It was a KO which sent boxing social media into meltdown as the reaction from Baldonado left fans feeling his discomfort through the screen.
One said: “The delayed reaction shows how painful that was.”
Another added: “The sound of a wrecked liver…whew buddy.”
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A third replied: “My stomach hurts.”
And a fourth responded: “What a shot 🤯.”
Takei moves onto 7-0 as a professional, while Baldonado now has six defeats from 23 contests. More