According to Terence Crawford, Errol Spence Jr. got blocked from accepting his part in a $50 million undisputed welterweight mega-deal.
The current WBO champion was in talks for months about fully unifying the division with Spence in the opposite corner.
However, the WBC, IBF, and WBA ruler could not accept outside interest in the fight due to his ties with Premier Boxing Champions and Haymon.
After the bout fell apart and Crawford moved on to sign with BLK Prime, “Bud” revealed details of a substantial bid to stage the encounter.
Terence Crawford on Errol Spence Jr
“Me and Al, we’re going back and forth, back and forth about the numbers,” said Crawford. “We were not going back and forth about anything else.
“We were going on and on. I have two companies that reach out to me that [fight]. They wanted to give Spence and me $25 million guaranteed upfront.
“So, a real guy like myself, I called Spence. I said, “listen, I got this company that’s willing to give us $25 million apiece guaranteed.
“What’s up? What are you going to do?”
Spence said, “Twenty-five million? What about the back end?”
“I’m like, “if they make their money back, then we get 80-20. It’s simple math.”
Crawford continued: “[Spence] had to go back and ask Al’s permission if he can take this big chunk, a lump sum of money, to fight Terence Crawford,”
“He didn’t call me back, so I proposed it to Al. – ‘I got this big hedge fund company out there. Two companies willing to put $20-plus million in both of our pockets, guaranteed.
“Al told me, ‘I’m not letting anybody touch this fight.’
“Why you wanna put a cap on yourself?
“If that’s the case, I can’t see a fight that’s been doing millions [of pay-per-view buys], you know, since Floyd. So, you know, that was an altercation.”
Errol Spence Jr at Super welterweight
Commenting on Crawford’s words, Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya – who has nothing to do with either fighter – stated: “Crawford speaks the truth.”
Spence himself spoke to Dallas News after Crawford walked away to sign a David Avanesyan contract for a PPV on December 10.
He said: “I don’t know who that is. Everybody sees now who is holding the fight up.
“I’ve got to talk to my manager, but I already told them I’m at this weight too long. I don’t know. I might be moving up.”
The fact another huge event went down the path to oblivion, just like Deontay Wilder vs Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua, and many others, is frustrating fans of the sport.
Promoter Lou DiBella, who is a fan and involved in the fight game, tried to give some insight into the difficulty they face.
“People think it’s been my self-interest or jealousy in my ripping of exclusive promoter/platform deals as the ruination of boxing.
Filler sport
“But they are a huge part of it. And the “big money” that platforms have paid is nothing compared to other sports. The exclusivity reflects the general ambivalence that most platforms have toward boxing, which they view as filler live sports.
“That’s why Every half-decent fight is PPV or pay streamed. No platform wants to pay the freight for our niche.
“You pay the freight, and given the mediocre product now being regularly sold, it’s clear that you are tired of it.
“If boxing is indeed still a “major sport,” there is no other asking its fans to go more out of pocket to watch programming and, most often, mediocre products.
“The saddest part of my career was watching the ruination of HBO Boxing. Historically the proudest and most storied telecaster of boxing.
“Its descent to obliteration began years before its death with its first ‘exclusive’ promoter deal. No accident.”
PBC now takes heat due to Crawford’s words as fans level their anger at Haymon. Omaha, Nebraska, and Dallas, Texas’ finest 147-pounders will no longer be locking horns, if ever.
Spence could move up in weight after a reported fight with Keith Thurman next. By then, all the belts will be gone.
The boxing community would be lucky to get a world title fight between them at 154.
Spence vs Crawford Dragging on
Spence vs Crawford is becoming another Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao. Despite promises after his win over Shawn Porter in Las Vegas last November and leaving Top Rank, Crawford has been unable to get the deal over the line.
Crawford could now aim to become a three-division champion. If he does that, Spence could be his first defense and face the winner, potentially Jermell Charlo vs Crawford.
It feels as though Errol Spence Jr vs Terence Crawford needs some belt on the line to make it even more special.
Next April could be the ideal scenario for Spence to move up if he can get a fight done for January. However, both Crawford and Spence will be chasing the same titles as a fight between the pair continues to prove impossible to make.
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