Following his loss to Terence Crawford for the undisputed welterweight championship, Errol Spence Jr has all but confirmed that he’ll next be campaigning one division up.
The former unified 147lbs champion was stopped by Crawford in the ninth round of their generational fight, a night that crowned the winner, in the eyes of many, the best fighter in the sport of boxing entire.
Many feel Spence – who has now had 29 fights at 147lbs – is now too big to make the weight comfortably and productively.
Floyd Mayweather, himself a five-weight world champion, told FightHype that Spence should go even further and introduce himself at middle or super-middleweight.
“I want the best for Errol Spence. If I was training him or I was in his corner, I don’t think he should be fighting at 147 at all. I don’t even think he should be fighting at 154. I think he should be fighting at 160 or 168. That’s just my honest opinion.”
Spence has previously expressed an interest in fighting up at the super-middleweight limit of 168lbs when asked about a potential bout with undisputed champion, Saul ‘Canelo’ Álvarez.
The career-long welterweight said at the time that it was his more ‘natural size.’ There are risks with a two-division jump at the age of 33, though, and not ideal after such a punishing loss.
If he was to make that decision, or even 160lbs for that matter, the Crawford rematch would be off the table. ‘Bud’ has been adamant that his ceiling is 154.
It’s likely there that fans see the second fight happen perhaps towards the end of this year. Spence has made it clear it’s what he wants, and Crawford has confirmed he will oblige as per the contract.