Honestly, if you were sitting ringside in Las Vegas on that humid July night in 2023, you felt it. That specific, heavy air of a "superfight" that actually lived up to the hype—until it didn't. Most people went into Terence Crawford Errol Spence thinking they were about to witness a chess match between two masters. Instead, they watched a demolition.
It’s been a while now. We’ve seen the ripples of that night change the entire landscape of boxing. But there’s still so much noise. People talk about "What if Errol was 100%?" or "Could the rematch have been different?" If you look at the facts and the trajectory of both men since that ninth-round TKO, the truth is a lot more nuanced than just "Bud was better."
Why the Terence Crawford Errol Spence fight changed everything
Let’s be real for a second. Before these two stepped into the ring, the pound-for-pound debate was a mess. You had Naoya Inoue destroying everything in his path in Japan, and Oleksandr Usyk making heavyweights look like amateurs. But the Terence Crawford Errol Spence clash was supposed to be the definitive answer for the American market.
Crawford didn't just win. He dismantled a man many considered the boogeyman of the 147-pound division. He scored knockdowns in the second and seventh rounds before the referee, Harvey Dock, finally stepped in during the ninth. The stats from CompuBox were almost hard to look at. Crawford landed 50% of his total punches. Fifty. In an elite-level fight, that’s essentially like playing a video game on "easy" mode.
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Spence, meanwhile, was limited to a 20% connect rate. His jab, usually a piston that dictates the pace of his fights, was neutralized by Crawford’s timing and counter-punching.
The injury factor and the "Cataract" revelation
Not long after the fight, the excuses—or "explanations," depending on who you ask—started flying. Errol Spence Jr. eventually revealed he underwent surgery for a cataract in his right eye. Critics immediately jumped on this. Was he fighting with half-vision? Did the 2019 car crash finally catch up to his durability?
It’s a fair question, but it also feels like a disservice to Crawford. Bud fought the man in front of him. Whether it was the eye, the weight cut to 147, or just the natural decline of a warrior who had been through the ringer, Spence looked "off" from the first bell. His timing was sluggish. His feet looked like they were stuck in wet cement.
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The rematch that never was
For months, the boxing world was held hostage by a rematch clause. Spence wanted it at 154 pounds. Crawford seemed game. But as 2024 and 2025 rolled on, the momentum died. The IBF eventually stripped Crawford of his title because he couldn't fulfill a mandatory defense against Jaron "Boots" Ennis while tied up in the Spence contract.
Eventually, the fight just evaporated. Health concerns for Spence—specifically that eye—and Crawford’s desire for bigger legacy fights (like his eventual move up to 168 to face Canelo Alvarez) meant the window slammed shut.
Fast forward to right now, January 2026. Terence Crawford has officially hung up the gloves. He retired just a few weeks ago in December 2025, following a masterful win over Canelo. He finished 42-0. No losses. No "real" scares. He walked away on his own terms as a three-weight undisputed champion, a feat that honestly sounds like a typo when you say it out loud.
Where does Errol Spence Jr. go from here?
While Crawford is enjoying retirement in Omaha, Spence is in a different spot. He hasn't fought since that night in July 2023. Think about that. Two and a half years of inactivity for a guy who was once the unified king.
The latest whispers in the industry suggest a return in the first half of 2026. Names like Tim Tszyu are being floated for a massive event in Australia or Vegas. It’s a risky move. If Spence comes back and looks like the guy who lost to Crawford, his legacy might take a hit. But if he wins? It proves that the Terence Crawford Errol Spence result was more about Crawford’s greatness than Spence’s decline.
The "Bud" Crawford legacy: Beyond the ring
What most people get wrong about Crawford is the idea that he was "protected" or "didn't fight anyone" for years at PBC. The Spence fight proved that his resume wasn't the problem—it was the fact that nobody wanted to see what he’d do to their favorite fighter.
Crawford’s retirement at 38 leaves a massive void. He wasn't just a switch-hitter; he was a mean-spirited tactician. He didn't just want to win; he wanted to break you. That’s what he did to Errol.
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If you're a fan trying to make sense of this rivalry in 2026, here is the bottom line:
- Terence Crawford is the definitive fighter of this era, finishing with an unblemished 42-0 record and retiring at the absolute peak of the P4P rankings.
- Errol Spence Jr. is currently a "what if" story. If he successfully returns this year, he could rewrite his final chapter. If not, he’ll be remembered as a dominant force whose peak was cut short by a combination of a tragic accident and a generational talent named Bud.
Boxing is a brutal business. It rewards the winners with immortality and leaves the "losers" to answer questions for the rest of their lives. For the fans who lived through the Terence Crawford Errol Spence saga, we at least got to see the question answered in the ring, even if the answer was more violent than we expected.
If you’re looking to follow what’s next for the welterweight and super-welterweight divisions, keep a close eye on Jaron "Boots" Ennis and the upcoming Tim Tszyu rumors. The shadow of Crawford and Spence still hangs over those weight classes, and it’ll stay there until someone else proves they can reach those same heights.