In July, Terence Crawford created history as he stopped Errol Spence Jr. in the ninth round to become the first undisputed welterweight champion of the four-belt era. The fight wasn’t a closely contested match as many assumed it would be. It was an utter domination at the hands of Crawford, who dropped Spence three times on his way to a ninth-round stoppage.
Given the saga that took place to get this fight signed in the first place, after years of negotiations, a rematch clause was included in their contract as most expected the fight would be close. As we reported this week, Spence Jr’s rematch with Crawford is being lined up for February. And despite the calls from many fans, commentators, and fighters for the next fight to take place at 154 pounds, it appears the rematch will once again take place at the welterweight division (147 pounds).
“Well the contract states that either one or the other gotta notify in writing that he can no longer make the weight. If not, the fight will be at 47. The contract states that it has to go at 47 since neither I nor Errol notified each other saying that we can’t make the weight,” Crawford stated.
Given the brutal nature of the first fight, and the fact that the second will remain at a weight class that shouldn’t benefit Spence, can a realistic argument be made that Spence can win the rematch?
Spence needs this fight to be fought at 154. Crawford shared his thoughts on what weight the fight should be contested under. Spence, however, will need to campaign heavily for this fight to be at the higher weight class given his lengthy stay at welterweight and the maturation of his body. If Spence is able to cut less weight to contest Crawford, then that is one potential advantage for him. Despite Crawford’s remarks, it has been confirmed that an official weight has yet to be clarified.
‼️ The Terence Crawford vs Errol Spence rematch is reportedly now being planned for February, though it's claimed there is still no agreement on the weight yet. [According to @MikeCoppinger]
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) October 12, 2023
Spence must stick to his fight plan. Based on the first fight, it appeared that Crawford’s power broke Spence to the point where he threw his jab considerably less as the fight went on. He fell into Crawford’s game plan and exchanged with him. For Spence to find success in the rematch, he will need to confidently utilize his jab.
Spence needs to leverage the underdog persona. With the first loss of his professional career in the books, it will be important for Spence to embrace that to bring additional motivation. It’s natural for fighters to lose some of their edge over the years as they earn life-changing money. Perhaps his first loss will be the kick he needs to get back on his feet.
Conclusion: It will be interesting to learn about the additional details of their pending rematch. Regardless of what we learn, Spence shouldn’t be completely discounted going into the fight.