Roy Jones Jr has tipped the winner of the undisputed welterweight title clash between WBC, WBA and IBF champion Errol ‘The Truth’ Spence Jr 28-0 (22) and his WBO counterpart Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford 39-0 (30) due to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 29.
Texan southpaw Spence, 33, and Nebraskan switch-hitter Crawford has long coveted the opportunity to prove who is the true number one boxer in the 147-pound weight class.
International Boxing Hall of Famer Jones believes he knows the answer.
“It’s a very good fight,” Jones said to Boxing News. “I always leaned more towards Bud because I saw more of Bud. And I know more about his skills and he can change, make changes on the fly like most great champions can do.
“I haven’t seen Spence make those changes because I haven’t seen him in that situation yet. I’m not saying he can’t – I just haven’t seen him do it.
“If he can make those changes, or if he can hurt Crawford early, then we’re in for one hell of a fight.
“It’s a great fight and I can’t wait to see it happen.”
Not everyone agrees with Jones’ assessment. Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder sees the bout going the other way.
“I got to go with Errol Spence on it,” Wilder said to FightHubTV. “Errol is my guy. He’s always supported me through thick and thin, and when you have that love and support from somebody like him and continue to do so, no matter what, you must return the love.
“That’s what it’s all about. Win, lose, or draw; you got to support who you support. I follow my heart in all things and my heart is with Errol, and his heart is always with me.
“I don’t have anything against anyone else or against Terence. I wish the best for him, but in that fight, I got to go with my guy, Errol Spence.”
Undefeated former two-weight world champion and current lightweight contender Shakur Stevenson is sitting on the fence, but he doesn’t see the fight going the distance.
“I think I’ll be leaning more so toward a knockout. I think with both of them fighters, both of them dudes, they’re thoroughbreds, they’re going to want to fight,” Stevenson said to FightHype.
“I feel like honestly, no matter how the fight, no matter how you picture the fight going, or going to the elite level. I think both of them dudes are itching to punch each other, so it’s like fire against fire in there.”
Whatever happens on fight night, it’s clear this is a very close fight on paper.
The bout will be broadcast live on Showtime pay-per-view in the United States.
