You wanted Errol Spence versus Terence Crawford to decide supremacy at welterweight. That’s not in the cards, though, as word drops that we will see the Texan Spence return to the ring in April, to battle vet Keith Thurman.
ESPN reporter Mike Coppinger says a Spence (28-0, 22 KOs) v Thurman (30-1, 22 KOs) clash is likely to unfold in April. The Premier Boxing Champions main event would be offered on pay per view, site to be determined.
Spence is rated No 1 at 147 and Thurman, age 34, is slotted No 7 by RING. Thurman has been relatively inactive, he didn’t glove up in 2020 or 2021. “One Time” fought one time in 2022, bettering Mario Barrios UD12 in Vegas. Before that, he dropped a decision to ultra vet Manny Pacquiao, in July 2019.
Thurman doesn’t care for the characterization of him as a gatekeeper.
This PBC pairing will be contested at 154 pounds, so it looks like the ship has sailed on deciding who’s the best at 147, Spence or Crawford. That fight not getting made is a double black eye for boxing.
The 32 year old Spence also hasn’t fought much of late either. In the ring, anyway—the fighter ducked death when he survived a hellacious car accident in October 2019.
Spence is a lucky duck, having escaped two car crashes in three years.
Driving under the influence in Texas, he flipped his sports car and managed to live after being ejected.
In early December, Spence again dodged a vehicular bullet. An unlicensed teen smashed into the hitter, in Texas, and Spence emerged not much the worse for wear.
Founder/editor Michael Woods got addicted to boxing in 1990, when Buster Douglas shocked the world with his demolition of the then-impregnable Mike Tyson.
The Brooklyn-based journalist has covered the sport since for ESPN The Magazine, ESPN.com, Bad Left Hook and RING. His journalism career started with NY Newsday in 1999.
Michael Woods is also an accomplished blow by blow and color man, having done work for Top Rank, DiBella Entertainment, EPIX, and for Facebook Fightnight Live, since 2017.