The news of Errol Spence Jr. taking on Yordenis Ugas in a unification welterweight championship fight on April 16th should excite.
Not just because it's a solid fight on paper, but because of the possible ramifications that the bout carries.
If Spence, the WBC and IBF champion, can take the rugged Cuban's WBA title, the only obstacle to reaching undisputed glory would be a super fight with WBO champ Terence Crawford. Otherwise known as perhaps the best fight in boxing. The fight that boxing fans and critics alike have been salivating over for years only to be left unquenched amidst frustrating talks about being on the “wrong side of the street” and posturing over who deserves more money (rightfully so, though).
So, will 2022 finally be the year that we see Spence vs. Crawford for the undisputed crown?
The answer is littered with questions and uncertainties that we'll pose and try to weigh:
- By the mere announcement of Spence fighting Ugas in April, Crawford is momentarily frozen. What will Bud’s next move be? Would he entertain a fight against Keith Thurman who looked sharp last weekend in a win over Mario Barrios? Despite Crawford’s ire with Bob Arum and Top Rank, the promotional umbrella did work with Al Haymon and PBC to make November’s bout with Shawn Porter, shattering the myth of a proverbial other “street.” It could happen again in the form of a Crawford vs. Spence fight or at least a Crawford vs. Thurman bout in the interim. And if Crawford joins another promotional outfit, would that strengthen the chances of us getting the Crawford-Spence super bout? Possibly.
- Also, consider this: If Spence defeats Ugas, he would need WBA mandatory challenger Eimantas Stanionsis to agree to step aside so that Spence could possibly fight Crawford. That’s after Stanionsis already agreed to step aside so that Ugas could fight Spence. Would he do so again?
- Then there’s the factor of time. We’re already talking April with Spence-Ugas. If Crawford doesn’t wait to see how that fight pans out and goes forward with a bout of his own, we could very well be looking at a fourth-quarter situation for even a sliver of a chance of the Crawford-Spence fight happening. That’s if both are successful in each of their respective fights first and foremost.
- Wherever Crawford lands promotion-wise, one should expect a contentious but painstakingly necessary negotiation between Crawford and Spence if the two sides are going to get closer to striking a deal to deliver boxing’s best bout. And that’s seemingly the fight before the fight. If there’s not a 50-50 split, why would Crawford or Spence succumb to the other with the purse tipped in the other's favor? Crawford can always contend that he’s the best pound-for-pound boxer in the sweet science today. Spence can counter that he’s fought better competition. Both would have valid arguments as to why he should get paid more.
- We’ve already seen both sides get so frustrated by the lack of movement that they’ve essentially moved on. Another fallout could mean, moving up instead to the 154-pound junior middleweight division, where Jermell Charlo and Brian Castano fight March 19 for undisputed revelry of their own.
While any move Crawford or Spence make will be intriguing by their sheer ability, it would be a shame if the collision course between boxing’s best welterweights is once again deferred. Either man can say that he doesn’t need the other to define his legacy but it just isn’t true. They do. They deserve the fight to see who really reigns supreme. Fans do, too.
Will the Spence-Crawford mega bout happen in 2022, though? Only time will tell.
But this begins with Spence vs. Ugas first.