Following their Los Angeles press conference, unified welterweight titleholder Errol Spence spoke to media members about the fight, what it means for legacy, and why he’s not really taking any of Crawford’s shade all too serious. Check out some of what Spence had to say below.
Spence on if he believes this fight with Crawford is happening at an ideal time
“I believe everything happens for a reason. If it would’ve happened earlier, four or five years ago, when people say this so-called should’ve happened, this wouldn’t have been a legacy fight...I just feel like now it’s more of a legacy fight, more impactful, and I feel this is a great fight, really shows who’s the best fighter — not in the welterweight division, but the best fighter in the world.”
On what this fight means to him
“This fight means a lot. This is what you train for. This is what, as a little kid, the fights you used to watch and you’re seeing all these guys becoming great fighters and now I’m on the verge of becoming a great fighter and maybe future Hall of Famer. It’s a great moment, I feel like, in my career and watching them guys as a kid and watching De La Hoya vs Trinidad, and watching these great fighters from back then, and now I’m in there shoes.
“And who says 20-30 years from now it’s gonna be a kid on YouTube watching me and Terence Crawford fight and saying ‘man, I want to fight like that’...that’s what you box for, especially coming up. I just want to be mentioned just like how I talk about Ray Leonard, Tommy Hearns, 40 years ago. I want somebody 40 years from now talking about ‘I want to have a fight like Errol Spence and Terence Crawford for all the marbles, the best fighting the best.’”
On how he would describe Crawford as a rival
“I feel like he’s a perfect dance partner. I feel like everybody needs that dance partner and he’s a guy that’s really gonna show the world why I know that I’m the best fighter in the world. So I think he’s a guy who has nothing but grit, has a great mentality, goes out there to kill his opponent and get his opponent out of there.
“I describe him as a no-nonsense guy, a guy that’s gonna really come to fight, he’s looking to put on a great show, very talented fighter, and a guy that’s willing to fight the best fighters.”
On whether or not his stronger resume at 147 will play a factor in this fight
“I don’t care about the resume. I just believe my skill set is better than him.”
On those would use Shawn Porter as a measuring stick for both of them, with Crawford having stopped Porter and him going to a decision
“I’ll tell people watch the fight. Shawn Porter had a fight after me, I forgot his name — yeah Sebastian (Formella). Watch that fight...Ask yourself was that the same Shawn Porter that fought me, when he fought Sebastian? Did he look the same?
“Then after that fight he fights Terence Crawford and he even came out in an interview saying that he didn’t do the things that his dad wanted him to do and he felt like he didn’t need to do those things...so we know how Shawn Porter got here, listening to his dad and doing everything his dad wanted him to do, even if it was crazy. So he wasn’t the same fighter, he was a shell of himself. And he was already on the verge of wanting to retire after Terence Crawford anyways.”
On Crawford taking shots at his drinking
“I don’t know. I used to drink. I don’t drink anymore. But it is what it is...he want to throw shade, you know, I’m here for a reason. I got three belts for a reason. We’re fighting for a reason. It’s undisputed for a reason. So he can throw all the shade in the world, he knows what it is come fight night.”
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