Everyone is calling for an Errol Spence vs Terence Crawford unification next year. Will we get it? It’s hard to say at this point. Up until last week I would have said that the fight could be nearly two years away. But as Top Rank continue to churn out quality fights over and over again with the new ESPN and ESPN+ app deal, Crawford and Spence continuing to impress, US boxing continuing to grow with the likes of Fox, DAZN and Showtime all investing in the game’s growth – next year might be the right time for the fight. Perhaps not financially though. If they really wanted to milk it then they could wait until 2020 but think about it, what an opportunity it would be to grow boxing next year if they made the fight. Right in the middle of all the positive momentum the sport is experiencing at present, put two of the best young, undefeated, pound for pound rated fighters in the world (in most people’s top five-pound for pound) to show boxing at its absolute best. The best fighting the best in their primes. Simple. Something the UFC have done for years – perhaps boxing could seize this opportunity next year in a similar way in terms of looking at the big picture for the sport? The two would obviously still make a lot of money by fighting next year anyway. Moreover, they could do a rematch or even a trilogy to build a rivalry for years to come. Just like the good old days, a new age welterweight rivalry between two supreme talents fighting in the same era. That is surely how you continue to build the sport. Speaking on Crawford’s win over Jose Benavidez Jr last night, Spence had this to say: GM — Errol Spence (@ErrolSpenceJr) October 13, 2018 As well as thinking it was a good match he also noted: Good fight Jose need get a lil more busier & bud need change his rhythm coming in the same way .. https://t.co/06ykKaLbCe — Errol Spence (@ErrolSpenceJr) October 14, 2018 On comparing him and Crawford in terms of a draw, Showtime’s Stephen Espinoza pointed out: Spence drew over 12,000 in NYC and 13,000 in Dallas. I’d say he’s a legitimate draw at home and on the road. https://t.co/kQeARGuJll — Stephen Espinoza (@StephenEspinoza) October 13, 2018 Good to see fan bases of both fighters growing from their hometowns and in America first. The worldwide appeal will only come in time when they fight one another and against notable from over the pond where the opportunity arises. In terms of the Spence vs Crawford fight, Top Rank’s main man earlier this week said it is something they are game for on their end. So who knows, maybe next year isn’t totally out of the question. Share this: Twitter Facebook<doc-sep>Opening Bell: Here we go again We've been through it all before -- the agony and misery as fans of watching big fights get made (or not made in some cases) wait and hope for something to happen. The seemingly never-ending talks for Lennox Lewis-Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao were horrendous to follow and cover. More recently, Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin, ahead of both fights, was maddening. And here we are again, going through the trauma of it all with the agony of an Anthony Joshua-Deontay Wilder undisputed heavyweight title fight that just can't seem to happen. Another such journey is just getting started, with the prospect of a welterweight title unification fight between Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. Nobody knows if either of those fights will happen. As it relates to Crawford and Spence, they are the two best active American boxers, they are both undefeated, both hold welterweight world titles, both have crowd-pleasing styles and both have legit fan bases in their home regions (Crawford in Omaha, Nebraska, and Spence in Dallas). Both fighters have also said they want to fight each other, and I believe them. Fans are also outspoken about their lust for the fight. play 0:58 Crawford knocks down Benavidez, closes door Terence Crawford sends José Benavidez Jr. to the canvas in the 12th, and Benavidez has no answer when he gets up, ending the fight in a TKO victory for Crawford. But they are, as we say in the business, on opposite sides of the street. Fighters saying they want to fight and their handlers actually making the match are entirely different conversations. Three-division titlist Crawford (34-0, 25 KOs), 31, fights for Top Rank on ESPN. Spence (24-0, 21 KOs), 28, fights for Premier Boxing Champions, which has deals with Showtime and Fox. As each man continues to win, the push from fans and media for the fight grows. It's a spot we find ourselves in once again, after Crawford polished off trash-talking antagonist Jose Benavidez Jr. (27-1, 18 KOs), 26, of Phoenix. Crawford ended a dominating performance on Saturday night before his biggest crowd yet -- 13,323 at the CHI Health Center in Omaha -- with a massive knockdown on a right uppercut late in the 12th round. The fight ended soon thereafter, as Crawford finished off Benavidez with a punishing follow-up assault until referee Celestino Ruiz stopped it with 18 seconds left in the fight as Benavidez was going down again. Within minutes after Crawford's latest impressive triumph, he was asked yet again about the prospect of the other major names: Spence, other titleholders Shawn Porter and Keith Thurman, as well as former titlist Danny Garcia. Crawford is down for any of them, but we as fans are primarily focused on Spence. That's what we want to see most. Top Rank's Bob Arum, in fact, discarded the notion of all of them but Spence, saying he believes Spence is the only one on Crawford's level. When Crawford signed a new contract with Top Rank leading up to the Benavidez fight, he told the company he wanted the big names and other titleholders, and Arum and company president Todd duBoef promised they would try to deliver those fights. "I just want to make this crystal clear," duBoef said a few days before the fight, with Crawford also on the line. "We have said this following our recent announcement of re-signing Terence. Regardless of your affiliation, we will take on all comers. That's it. We don't care where you are, what you do. We will go and take on all comers, right? Terence is an elite fighter. He is at that class. We've done the biggest fights with the biggest complications of all time. He wants to take on the biggest. We want to provide the biggest." Crawford then chimed in, "Well, you took everything out of my mouth. So there's nothing more for me to say. There you have it." After stopping Benavidez, Crawford said he hoped Arum and Al Haymon, the PBC boss, would enter talks. DuBoef was also clear that they would try.<doc-sep>
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is ready to sit down and make a fight happen between his fighter Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. Crawford (33-0) continued his undefeated run as he successfully defended his World Boxing Organization welterweight title against Jose Benavidez over the weekend by way of 12th round knockout in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. It made boxing fans want to see a title unification fight between him and Spence (24-0) even more, with the latter currently holding the International Boxing Federation welterweight title. While Spence will likely take on World Boxing Council welterweight champion Shawn Porter in a title unification fight first, Arum is prepared to see him face off against "Bud" in the future, especially as he regards the 28-year-old as the one person in the same league as Crawford. “All the other guys I discard,” Arum said, as per Boxing Scene. “They’re not in the same league [as Crawford]. Spence may be in the same league. I would love to make the Spence fight." As is the case in boxing, however, there will be obstacles. This is mainly because Top Rank is with ESPN while Spence is with Al Haymon's Premier Boxing Champions on Showtime. But despite that, Arum is ready to sit down and make a deal happen, particularly one where no party has the financial advantage. "You hear me now — I’m ready to make that fight next," Arum added. "I’m ready to make it on very fair terms, where no fighter or no network has an advantage, to do that fight. We’re prepared to sit down and get that fight done. But I can’t force the other people into doing it. You understand?” Photo: Eric Francis/Getty Images Crawford is certainly open to a fight with Spence. The two recently went back-and-forth on social media last month after Porter defeated Danny Garcia and the pound-for-pound great reiterated his desire once again. “Al Haymon and Bob could sit down and talk to each other about it,” Crawford explained. “That’s it. I want all them [welterweight champions]. I’ve been saying it. How bad do you want me to say something over and over and over. I said what I said and that’s it.” While a fight between the two welterweight champions isn't a mainstream draw as of now compared to Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin, technically, it is probably the best fight that can be made today. This was echoed by former five-weight champion Floyd Mayweather who earlier this year, claimed a contest between the duo could be the biggest fight in boxing. "Honestly speaking, I think soon the biggest fight that's going to be in boxing is Terence Crawford and Errol Spence," Mayweather said. "That's going to be a huge fight I think in boxing. ... In the future [it's going to be pay-per-view worthy], in the future [it will be pay-per-view] but not right now. I would pay to see it."