Showtime Sports executive Stephen Espinoza takes some time to chat with Marcos Villegas of Fight Hub TV about any updates on the plans for a rematch between Terence Crawford and Errol Spence. Espinoza says Spence has been steadfast in his desire for the rematch, and now it’s more about ironing out all the details on both sides. Check out some of what Espionza had to say below.
Espinoza on the status of Errol Spence and a potential rematch with Terence Crawford
“Errol’s been consistent, like he wants the rematch. He said it right after fight, he hasn’t changed. There are a lot of conversations going on internally with his team, some I’m privy to, some I’m not, but I wouldn’t really want to disclose all of those.
“But the question really is ‘what’s best for his health, what’s best for his future?’ Is it a weight issue at 147, is ‘54 right for him? Are there lingering effects from the eye or the car accident — all of those things are fair questions. He’s been through a lot so I think, look, all of that is still to be determined but the one thing that is absolutely the case is Spence wants the rematch.
“The question is, as a team, do all of his advisors agree that is the best way to go.”
On the terms of the rematch clause with Crawford and if it has to be an immediate rematch or if could Spence take a get well fight in between
“It’s an immediate rematch. It’d have to be (next) but there’s always negotiations. And the reality is it is a big fight, it’s the biggest fight arguably for either one of them right now. I’m not sure what — haven’t obviously spoken to Crawford about it — but if he had to wait a fight and then get a big rematch, I don’t see why that would be a big problem.”
On where Jaron Ennis stands in the picture of a potential fight with Crawford
“Well it’s sort of up to Crawford. He’s been talking a lot about Jermell. Seems like he might wait for Jermell to get through the Canelo fight, see what happens. But, look, anything’s possible. There are good fights for him at ‘47, there’s good fights at ‘54 and I don’t think anyone has really spent a lot of time — outside of his internal team talking to him — because it all depends on what happens with the rematch and whether (Crawford) will have flexibility to do other stuff.
“Boots would obviously love the Crawford fight but failing that he would love to see a title fight of any kind. So I know he would lean on the IBF to try to get the mandatory enforced. Failing that there’s Thurman, there’s Stanionis, there’s Crowley, there’s some really good fights. But I think Boots #1 priority is to get a title shot.”
On what the challenge would be to sell the public at large on a Crawford vs Spence rematch given the one-sided nature of the first
“Anybody who’s followed Spence’s career looks at that as a surprise result. I mean, I’m not surprised Crawford won, it’s a 50/50 fight, either guy could’ve won. But I think most people were surprised at the nature of it, that it was that one-sided.
“So I think there’s interest in seeing was that an off night, is Crawford really that good, is weight a factor? I think there are a lot of questions and none of that is to take away anything from Crawford because he was spectacular that night. The question is if that was an off night for Spence, you know, a rematch, does it look any different?”
On when a Crawford vs Charlo fight could potentially take place if it were to happen
“It could happen, theoretically, after the Canelo fight. So you get through the Canelo fight, maybe it’s in the first or second quarter of next year.”
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