Entering a massive fight, Errol Spence Jr. believes boxers can sometimes get out of character and cave in to the feeling that they need to do something different to succeed on a bigger stage.
Well, “The Truth” assures his fans that he won’t get out of character against Terence Crawford in their undisputed welterweight world championship fight July 29. But when speaking with The Pivot Podcast recently, Spence did say that him doing whatever it takes to win will force Crawford to “wilt” next weekend.
“If I gotta step to him, I’m definitely going to step to him,” Spence began explaining about doing whatever it takes to win. “Ya’ll already know how I fight. You know, box with him, I’m going to try to box with him. I’m going to do whatever it takes to win, but he’s definitely, I feel, he’s going to wilt to me. I’m going to be in his face 24/7.
“[Crawford’s] definitely going to come ready. He trains hard, he comes in shape, like he said boxing is his life, but I feel like I’m different,” he continued. “I’m that apex predator. He’s a predator, too, but I feel like I’m a bigger predator.”
That’s the confidence that could be needed for one undefeated champion in Spence (28-0, 22 KOs) to defeat another unbeaten champ in Crawford (39-0, 30 KOs).
“I’m definitely going to get him, regardless of what he brings to the table, regardless of what he do, regardless of how mean he is, his coaches or whatever,” Spence tacked on. “Once we get in the ring, it’s just me, him and the ref to stop the fight. That’s how it is.”
Entering this fight, Spence, the unified WBA/WBC/IBF champion, has heard a great deal about the WBO titleholder Crawford’s pure boxing brilliance, but evoked his own strategy of consistently touching the body as a method to break down even a sweet scientist like “Bud.”
“I know the body can only take so much before it will break down,” Spence also said on the podcast. “If I keep chopping you, it’s like a drip of water hitting a brick. After a while, that water is going to start chipping at that brick and get through.
“I don’t throw a lot of punches,” he said for good measure, “I just keep touching you.”