Terence Crawford, Errol Spence Jr. agree to terms on superfight

Critical to the negotiations have been rematch clauses, especially as both are undefeated champions. Crawford is 39-0 with 30 knockouts to his name, while Spence is 28-0 with 22 KOs. Also of intrigue is who awaits the winner of the two fights.

According to Coppinger:

"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."

However, there are plenty of reasons to be cynical that the two sides have actually come to terms. For starters, both sides had set conditions towards bouts at various times between 2021 and 2022, including proposed dates last October and November. 

Crawford's promotional free agency complicated matters as he left longtime promoter Top Rank in 2021, feeling that Bob Arum's outfit had not worked in good faith to make a fight with Spence happen. Later on, Crawford sued Top Rank, alleging racial bias. Crawford fulfilled a one-fight deal with BLK Prime, a sixth-round TKO over an overmatched David Avanesyan back in December.

Spence, meanwhile, has recovered from a retina injury sustained in a car accident in 2021. He had a strong showing last April against Yordenis Ugas, but hasn't been in the ring since.

A Crawford/Spence bout has often been hyped as the most anticipated fight since Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao in 2015. However, that incredibly hyped fight fell short of expectations as Pacquiao fought Mayweather well past his peak. This potential fight is seen in the light of the "Four Kings" era of the 1980s where "Sugar" Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns and the late "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler all fought one another. (Nine fights between different combinations of the quartet took place between 1980 and 1989.)

The 35-year-old Crawford, once considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, has held the WBO welterweight title since 2018. The 33-year-old Spence has the IBF, WBA and WBC belts.