Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. have agreed to a deal to fight for the undisputed welterweight championship on July 29 at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, sources tell ESPN.
PBC’s Al Haymon, who advises Spence, and CAA’s Ish Hinson, who advises Crawford, negotiated and now will deliver the most anticipated boxing match since the mega fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao in 2015.
Crawford and Spence will each earn eight figures guaranteed for the Showtime PPV fight, sources said, and there’s a bidirectional rematch clause that the loser can trigger within 30 days after the fight. It’s a two-fight deal for Crawford with PBC, sources said. After the probable return bout between Crawford and Spence, which must take place before the end of 2023, both boxers are expected to move up to 154 pounds.
If they split the two fights, a trilogy fight is overwhelmingly likely. And whoever comes out on top is expected to push for a shot at the undisputed junior middleweight championship, which is currently held by Jermell Charlo. Spence and Charlo both train in Dallas with Derrick James.
The deal concludes years of Crawford and Spence circling one another as the world’s two best welterweights without actually stepping in the ring.
But now, they’re set to meet in one of the biggest events the sport can offer, a matchup that will decide supremacy at 147 pounds, and lend the winner a claim as the best boxer in the world regardless of weight. Already, Crawford is ESPN’s No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer, with Spence three spots behind him at No. 4.
Spence (28-0, 22 KOs) was slated to move up to 154 pounds for a summer bout against Keith Thurman, but both Spence and Crawford were determined to fight each other next. The fighters met in March and came to an agreement on big-picture terms, sources said.
Since Crawford (39-0, 30 KOs) captured the WBO welterweight title in his first fight at 147 pounds in June 2018, there have been calls for a summit meeting against Spence. For years, one impediment loomed large: rival promoters.
Now, Spence and Crawford are set for their toughest challenge yet, the event that will determine their legacies once and for all. And it’s happening because the fighters pushed behind the scenes to finalize the matchup at long last.
