It seems the Terence Crawford vs. Errol Spence Jr. rematch may not be as inevitable as many believe. Crawford and Spence Jr. faced off in an absolute barnburner boxing match on July 29. ‘Bud’ dismantled the former unified welterweight champion for the majority of the contest and even managed three knockdowns before securing a ninth-round TKO win.
Crawford was widely hailed in the aftermath of the fight. With his incredibly dominant performance, ‘Bud’ cemented his status as one of the best pound-for-pound pugilists today. However, Spence Jr.’s camp wasn’t satisfied with the result and was confident their fighter could do better.
Interestingly, the Terence Crawford-Errol Spence Jr. contract included a rematch clause. According to the contract, the loser of the first fight could activate the rematch clause. However, the clause also states that the winner will decide the weight class for the rematch. Therein lies the source of the ongoing dispute.
It has been widely reported that ‘The Truth’ chose to initiate the rematch proceedings after his loss. Unfortunately, it seems negotiations between the two parties hit a rocky patch due to disagreements about which weight class the rematch will be contested in.
After their first fight, many opined that Spence Jr.’s performance may have been affected by his weight cut. Soon after, rumors began circulating that the rematch would be contested at 154 pounds. However, according to Crawford’s training partner Steven Nelson, ‘Bud’ doesn’t want that.
Nelson recently took to Twitter and claimed that Terence Crawford is adamant about the rematch taking place at 154 pounds. The news was later confirmed by boxing journalist Michael Benson, who also revealed that only Crawford could decide the weight. Given the terms of their contract, it seems ‘Bud’ is in a position to cancel the rematch unless it’s contested at his preferred weight class.
While negotiations continue, only time will tell if Spence Jr. gets a chance to run it back with Crawford.