Terence Crawford has no doubt in his mind that he has the power to hurt Errol Spence Jr.
The two 147lbs champions have finally signed to fight and, as they put the finishing touches on in training camp, the boxing world is debating who comes out on top.
Many say it’s a distance fight, but others are convinced the action doesn’t see twelve.
Crawford is in the latter camp, as shown from a recent interview with The Breakfast Club.
It was put to him that he shouldn’t trade with the ‘bigger’ Spence for fear he couldn’t hurt him. Unsurprisingly, Crawford was having none of it.
“Why do you view that [I can’t hurt him]? How do you know? What makes you think that? The size? Did he get hurt his last fight? Do you think I hit harder than his last opponent? Case closed then.”
That last opponent Crawford is referring to is Yordenis Ugas – the former WBA World Champion following a victory over fighting legend, Manny Pacquiao.
Spence would ultimately beat Ugas by 10th round TKO, but not without boxing through some adversity.
As the pair stood trading in centre-ring, the Cuban rocked Spence with a right hand and followed up with one of the same. The second shot caused Spence’s mouthpiece to come loose, and he turned his back on the action.
There was no intervention from the referee, and Ugas followed up with a one-two that sent the American back onto the ropes – an almost certain knockdown if he wasn’t well placed.
Crawford, who has 30 knockouts to Ugas’ 12, is confident that he’ll finish the job the former champion couldn’t.
The odds reflect his confidence – he’ll enter the ring on July 29 in Las Vegas a slight favourite over Spence to become the first four-belt welterweight champion and, in the eyes of many, the best fighter on the planet.