LAS VEGAS – As representatives for Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford began working six years ago on parameters for a fight between, their dream matchup appeared destined for the same fate as many super-fights this century.
The pattern works something like this: two fighters rise, win belts and prompt clamoring from all corners of the boxing world for any specific bout to come to be. They’re inevitably signed with different promotional companies. There are leaks, stalls, claims, counters, debates and a whole lot of noise. Then, these fighters typically 1) fall apart or 2) take place years after the clamor started.
That’s #boxing in a nutshell.
But while there was certainly some of that here, in the case of Spence and Crawford, the two champions borrowed from the Mayweather-Pacquiao playbook. Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao eventually met in person, after War and Peace levels of trash talk and accusations were lobbed back and forth. They said hello at a Heat game in Miami, then met later the same night in Pacquiao’s hotel suite. Shortly after, their mega-bout was booked.
In the case of Spence and Crawford, according to two people with indirect knowledge of their conversation, a simple phone call did the trick. The boxers told confidants they hopped on the phone earlier this year and spoke for maybe 45 minutes. They addressed the latest Bout That Could Not Be Made first, but only for about one-third of the time they spoke. They spent the rest of the time discussing their families and their lives. Shortly after, their mega-bout was booked.
For some, the reaction might be: how quaint, how old school. But for one of the sources, it was pivotal. “I’m not sure,” this person said, “that this happens without that.”
Tom Hogan/Imago
A Grand Scene
I was mildly surprised at the size of the crowd for Tuesday’s classic boxing scene—what promoters call the Grand Arrivals for all the fighters on the Pay-Per-View card. I haven’t been to one of these in years, maybe even 10 years, but it was comforting in its familiarity. The setup was mostly the same: right inside the MGM Grand, where a boxing ring complete with a huge, gold lion head was set up in the lobby. The only difference was the chairs and stage set up for short press conferences with Spence, Crawford and one of their mutual opponents, Shawn Porter.
One bummer marked another difference: the champions weren’t made available to small groups of writers afterward, a practice that I always thought led to the best material of the week but that I heard hasn’t happened much in recent years. Perhaps the boxers' reps don’t feel the need to sell this fight any further, but what the fighters did say was repetitive and uninteresting. It could have been skipped altogether.
Here’s what the scene did feature:
- A pro-Spence crowd.
- A laudable announcer/host. This dude talked, into a microphone, in front of a few hundred people, for the better part of an afternoon. He brought up common themes. He hyped up the crowd. He did interviews. He sounded sort of like a slower auctioneer, with the pacing and timing but not the sentences crowded together. Respect, Mr. Ray Flores. You should be paid by the word.
- The main event combatants were both roughly 10 minutes behind schedule. In boxing, this is considered “early.”
- Crawford wore a hoodie, despite temperatures outside that hit as high as 111 degrees Fahrenheit. He also had the hood pulled over his head. Made me wonder if he’s having trouble making weight. But then again, Spence would be more likely to have an issue there.
- Crawford’s best quote: “You can expect the best Terence Crawford y’all ever seen.”
- Spence’s oddest quote: “It’s like taking a p—s or a s—t. This is what I do.”
- Porter’s best metaphor, in comparing two boxers who have beaten him and will now clash with each other. “Errol is an avalanche that’s hard to stop.”
- Oddest juxtaposition: Spence ardently discussed the fortitude that will be required Saturday night, using “blood” and “guts,” while holding the hand of one of his children on the stage.
- Notable: I haven’t spent a ton of time around Spence. But I’ve never seen the intensity in his body, words or movements that I saw yesterday. Looked like a totally different dude from the one that’s usually out in public. Locked in?
Tom Hogan/Imago
Hyperbole of the day: Out of no more than kindness, I will not name the person who said this. But they said, “This fight could go down as the greatest fight this century.”
Let’s take an AR-15 to that statement. What about Trinidad-Vargas? Morales-Barrera? Corrales-Castillo? Ward-Gatti? There’s no way the electricity/excitement/attention present in every peak-Pacquiao or peak-Mayweather fight (think 2007 or so to 2011) was lower in any way than this one. Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury have put on three epic shows. And, while none of these bouts were amazing in actual fight quality, Mike Tyson fought eight times this century plus the celebrity exhibition with Roy Jones Jr.
I hope the person who said that is right. But that’s one problem with #boxing, among many. There’s so much selling that people start to believe everything that’s flying around. This fight is good enough, compelling enough and enticing enough on its own merits. No need to make it into more.
Heatwave note of the day: Stepping out of the airport here and into the late-afternoon sun was like stepping not out but into a sauna. Dry heat, schmy heat. It felt heroic simply to walk to a waiting car.
Overheard in Vegas on a blockbuster fight week: “Do they sell portable fans here?” (Answer: you’re damn right!)
DeSoto’s Lengthy List of Athletes
I was talking with Bills pass rusher Von Miller last week, and he reminded me that both he and Spence attended high school in DeSoto, Texas, which is a Dallas suburb, geographically to the southwest. Turns out, that area—and, specifically, DeSoto High School—has churned out elite athletes for a long time.
In addition to those two, the list includes: Tatum Bell (NFL RB), Patrick Crayton (NFL WR), Steve Foster (MLB P, current Rockies pitching coach), Cyrus Gray (NFL RB), Byron Hanspard (NFL RB), Tim Hendrix (NFL TE), Ellis Hobbs (NFL CB), Mike Humphreys (MLB OF), Brian Jackson (NFL CB), Tony Jerod-Eddie (NFL DT), Matt Jones (CBB, national champion at Duke), Chris Lacy (NFL WR), Jalen Mills (NFL CB), Zach Orr (NFL LB, current Jaguars assistant), Casey Printers (NFL QB), James Proche (NFL WR), Laviska Shenault (NFL WR), Mark Simmons (NFL WR), Mike Thomas (NFL WR), Marcus Tubbs (NFL DT), Howard Wilson (NFL CB) and Jimmy Wyrick (NFL CB).
Those Eagles, apparently, have the skill positions covered. But it seems like Miller and Spence have separated themselves from their professional athlete/same high school brethren, through accomplishments and accolades.
So who’s better? “The Big Fish,” Miller answers, immediately, using one of Spence’s nicknames.
“I know he’s gonna get the job done,” Miller says. “I’m excited for it.”
