Andre Ward believes that Errol Spence Jr and Terence Crawford will retire after fighting each other two to three times because the motivation won’t be there for either guy to start all over again at 154, and equally important, the money won’t be the same as what they’re going to be enjoying from their contests.
The 154-lb division is a dead one once Jermell Charlo leaves it because there’s only Tim Tszyu and not much else. Will Crawford & Spence be happy fighting little-known opposition for money well below what they made for their fights? Probably not.
It’s one thing for both of them to talk about moving up to 154 next year, but it’s a whole different thing once they realize how limited the opportunities are for money fights.
If Crawford stays at 147, he’s going to be expected to face the young lion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis. Will Crawford have enough left in the tank after his two to three wars with Spence to hold off Boots Ennis, and will he even want to?
Again, the money won’t be same for Crawford, as he’ll be getting for his two fights with Spence, and he’d be looking at a match equally tough if not tougher.
“I think we got two fights out of this for sure, and if it’s a split 1-1, I think we get three out of this,” said Andre Ward to Fighthype on tonight’s Errol Spence Jr vs. Terence Crawford clash.
“I personally don’t see either fighter at this stage of their career fighting a long longer than they’re fighting after these two fights or after this trilogy because these camps are different.
“When you fight a fight of this magnitude, it’s a different level of focus and a different level of lock-in. It drains you, and you got to call it back up and fight the fight.
“Then you got to sit around after you spent two or three months in camp, and you fought a tough fight. You’re like, ‘I got to go do it again.’
“You start to have different thoughts. The winner of these two fights or the fights, depending on how long it goes. What are they going to do? Are they going to go to 154 and start all over?
“They might. That’s hard for me to see. I can see them doing a farewell fight. If Bud is successful and wins two fights or a trilogy, I can see him doing a farewell in Nebraska.
“I could see Errol Spence doing a farewell in Dallas. It’s hard for me to see either fighter once they are done with this business that they have two or three fights to go campaign at 154. I just can’t see the money they’re going to make at the stage they’re at in their careers to have the motivation to start over.
“You have young dudes like Boots Ennis. He’s coming, but are you motivated to fight Boots to prove that you’re are the old guard and you’re going to hold him off? If you’re motivated, then go for it. But is the money going to bet there? Is the motivation going to be there? This is stuff you got to think about when you get to this stage of your career,” said Ward.
