All eyes will be on Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford when they finally face off on July 29. The bout to determine the undisputed welterweight champion has been years in the making and fans the world over are praying this one lives up to the hype.
The T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas will host this clash of pound-for-pound entrants, with the event is available for purchase on Showtime PPV.
With a combined 67 victories and 52 knockout wins, Spence and Crawford are fighting for titles, bragging rights, and, potentially, the No.1 spot in boxing’s pound-for-pound ratings.
But what will be next for Spence and Crawford? One man will have his hand raised, but will that be enough? Will the winner even have time to celebrate, or will they be committed to running it back?
With a potential rematch and mandatory opponents crying out for a title shot, the next few months should be interesting.
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The Sporting News looks into the options for Spence and Crawford following their superfight:
What’s next following Errol Spence Jr. vs. Terence Crawford?
Errol Spence Jr. vs. Terence Crawford 2?
Before they finally faced off at a press conference, negotiations for fight one were not easy. From purses to broadcasting, every little detail surrounding the fight was debated. That included the option for a rematch.
There’s a bidirectional rematch clause, which can get activated 30 days following the showdown. Per Mike Coppinger, a rematch could happen before the end of 2023.
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However, Spence, the WBC, IBF, and WBA champ, believes that Crawford, his WBO counterpart, may not activate a rematch clause.
“If I beat the will out of him, he probably won’t take it," Spence told The Pivot Podcast via DAZN.
Mandatory challengers for Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford
Every legitimate welterweight title is on the line in Spence vs. Crawford. Once the dust has settled, the winner will have a huge target on his back.
The division is stacked, with several mandatory challengers waiting for a crack at undisputed glory.
Eimantas Stanionis, the WBA (Regular) welterweight champion, has been named the mandatory challenger for the winner by the WBA. He was supposed to fight Vergil Ortiz Jr., but that fight has fallen through on several occasions. Having not boxed since April 2022, Stanionis anxiously awaits for his opportunity at gold.
Jaron Ennis, the interim IBF welterweight champion, also awaits a title shot. "Boots" last fought in July, defeating Roiman Villa via knockout and he's highly touted.
Ennis is as ready as he'll ever be, but he may have to play the waiting game.
Will Errol Spence Jr. move up in weight?
Crawford has already moved through three weight divisions and appears settled at 147 pounds for now. However, Spence has been bursting at the seams as a welterweight for the past few years.
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“The Truth” recently posted on Instagram that he has interest in competing in the super welterweight division. Boxers in that division include undisputed champion Jermell Charlo, Tim Tszyu, Brian Castano, and Sebastian Fundora.
While his focus is on Crawford, Spence also discussed potentially fighting Canelo Alvarez, the undisputed super middleweight champion.
“We're not thinking about Canelo right now,” Spence told Boxing Scene. “If the fight comes across the table, I definitely will take that fight. I feel like 165 to 168, that's more my natural weight and a lot easier for me to make, so I definitely will take that fight."