Errol Spence Jr. says he’d like to fight Terence Crawford for the undisputed welterweight championship but if it doesn’t happen, he doesn’t see it as someone that will hurt his legacy.
Spence points out that boxing greats like Felix Trinidad, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Oscar De La Hoya never became undisputed champions.
IBF/WBC welterweight champion Errol (27-0, 21 KOs) is fighting WBA champion Yordenis Ugas (27-4, 12 KOs) on April 16th at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. If Spence wins, he’ll be a three-belt 147-lb champion and one belt away from becoming the undisputed.
It’s believed that Spence will fight Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman in his next fight after Ugas, and then he may need to face Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis, a fighter that is every bit talented as Crawford, but younger and more powerful.
“Definitely so if we can get that fight made, it’ll get made. If not, it is what it is,” said Errol Spence Jr. to Fighthype when asked if he’d like to fight Terence Crawford for the undisputed welterweight championship.
“I’m not going to dwell over it, but it’s something that I want to be undisputed, so we’ll see,” continued Spence. “I don’t think it’s something I need to be an all-time great because I don’t think Trinidad was undisputed.
“De La Hoya, Floyd, a lot of these greats weren’t undisputed during the four-belt era.I don’t think it’s something I need, but it’s something I definitely want,” Errol said about not needing to become undisputed to have an outstanding career. “But if it can’t happen, then it is what it is,” said Spence.
Errol has made it this far without fighting Crawford, and the fans don’t seem to be holding it against him that the fight hasn’t happened. If Crawford had a larger fan base, there might be more of a outcry over Spence not fighting him.
“I think it’s a great fight. I like Boots Ennis. He’s a guy that can really fight. He’s a special talent, and a guy that puts on a great performance for his fights,” said Spence.
“I don’t know if it can happen or not. You’ve got break though the door like I did. I think he’s fighting for the IBF mandatory next, so we’ll see what happens. For right now, I’m the king of 147, so we’ll definitely see.
“I didn’t have a thought about Blair Cobbs until somebody showed me. No, I didn’t know who it was. He’s not a factor. Like I said, a 33-year-old prospect working his way up. I’m not worried about what he said.
“If I’m not the same, it is what it is. Right now, I have two belts and I’m working on my third belt. If I’m not the same, then I’m way further than what he’s trying to get to or where he’s at right now.
“I thought it was a good fight. I was walking out because I felt it was a premature stoppage,” said Spence about Terence Crawford’s recent knockout win over Shawn Porter. “His dad stopped the fight, and I don’t think he should have.
“Shawn put on a good showing and he was fighting pretty well,” said Spence.