2023-07-30 05:33:36
Terence Crawford (40-0) made history by becoming the first unified welterweight champion of the four major belt era with his ninth-round TKO victory over Errol Spence Jr. on Sunday.
American Terence Crawford became the first boxer to claim the four main world belts in the welterweight category on Saturday after defeating his compatriot Errol Spence Jr in Las Vegas, stopped by the referee in the ninth round.
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A historical record
Crawford had previously sent Spence to the ground three times and had his opponent teetering in a hail of blows when referee Harvey Dock ended the fight after 2:32 in the ninth round. The two boxers were undefeated so far: if Spence Jr, aged 33, conceded his first defeat in 29 fights, Crawford, 35, signed his 40th victory in as many appearances in the ring.
The latter therefore added the WBC, WBA and IBF titles to his own WBO crown. “Bud” thus becomes the first undisputed world welterweight champion of the era of the four major boxing federations, which began in 2004.
“I’m tall”
This former world lightweight champion, who later unified the super lightweight class, also becomes the first man to win all the belts in two different weight classes. “Tonight I think I showed how big I am,” said Crawford modestly, who remains on a streak of 11 consecutive knockouts, including eight at welterweight.
It is true that the native of Omaha signed an incredibly dominant performance against an opponent who was only deceived in the first round. Crawford started unleashing his shots in the second, punishing Spence who went down late in the restart. Spence Jr was still advancing in the third round, but the power and precision of Crawford’s replies were devastating.
“I’m gifted”
He landed a series of punches in the fourth, including a left hook that rocked his opponent, forcing the ringside doctor to examine him late in the round. In the seventh, Crawford brought down Spence Jr again with a right uppercut, then again with a chin strike in the dying seconds.
As Spence Jr struggled to stay on his feet, the referee ended his ordeal, sparking a frantic celebration from Crawford who then had a hug and words of encouragement for his battered rival. “I only dreamed of becoming a world champion, but I’m gifted,” explained the winner.
“No one believed in me when I started but I made everyone believe in me,” he added. This triumph allows the American to support his claims to the unofficial title of best current boxer in all categories.
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