By Cameron Buford, Whatsgoodinspports.com
In front of nearly 40,000 fans at AT&T Stadium, this past Saturday night would be the second time (28-0-0) Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr has fought at AT&T Stadium. The first time was when he dominated Mickey Garcia in his 2019 IBF Title defense. That fight reportedly eclipsed 360,000 pay-per-views. Being a unification fight for three of the four Welterweights belts against IBF Champion Cuban sensation (27-4) Yordenis Ugás, should surely draw many more eyes from boxing fans watching at home and abroad.
A win would give Spence three of the four coveted Welterweight Championship belts. The additional, Championship belt is held by WBO Champion Terrance Crawford, who we know was tuned in for this bout.
“Everybody knows who I want next,” Spence said emphatically in his post-fight press conference. “I want Terence Crawford. That’s the fight that I want. That’s the fight everybody else wants. Like I said, I’m going to get these straps then go over there and take him too. Terence, I’m coming for that belt!”
Spence would need to beat the Olympic bronze medalist on Saturday night to get a chance to fight Crawford for his belt. Though this is one of those fights fight fans have been clamoring for, for a while now. Once scheduled, this would likely be the fight-of-the-year candidate whenever the deal gets inked.
“It’s a blessing and a dream come true to get the support of your hometown,” Spence said of fighting in his hometown. “People are coming out here to support me with their hard-earned money during a difficult time and I appreciate it,” Spence added.
This fight played out exactly how Spence predicted it would earlier in the week. Spence stalked Ugas throughout the fight. In an exciting third round, they exchanged a flurry of significant power punches where Spence got the better of Ugás. By continuously digging into the body in that round, Spence immobilized Ugás just as he vowed.
“This fight might not go the distance,” Spence clairvoyantly predicted how the fight would transpire during the final press conference. “If we get in the clinch and start fighting, I don’t think it’s going 12 rounds.”
Ugás, not known for his movement, didn’t move much. His decision to try to go toe-to-toe with the hard-hitting Spence played right into Spence’s favor. Ugas did catch Spence with a solid uppercut in the sixth round, which knocked the mouthpiece from Spence’s mouth. Almost unconsciously, Spence with looking for his mouthpiece, just as he did, Ugas sent him to the ropes with a hard right to the head.
Spence responded by going on an attack of his own, targeting Ugás’ body and head. A couple of rounds later, the referee Laurence Cole stopped the fight to allow the ringside physician to inspect the damage to Ugas’ eye during that onslaught.
Although the ringside physician took at the Ugas’ for the first time in the eighth round, he let the fight continue. But by the tenth round, Ugás’ right eye was completely shut. Referee Laurence Cole stopped the contest for the second time to allow the ringside physician to reevaluate his eye again. Once it was identified that Ugás’ vision was hindered, the physician stopped the fight in the tenth round.
“I believe that you’re going to go through trials and tribulations,” Spence said after post-fight. “I went through a lot of trials. I got tested, and I passed the tests due to my upbringing, my mother and my father, always telling me not to quit and not to give up, and just believing in myself and my family.”
“I feel sad,” Ugás said in his post-fight interview, with the humility one might not expect from a boxer. “All my respect to Errol Spence. He’s a great champion. I had a chance to win the fight in the sixth round, but he recuperated well. Congratulations to him and his team.”
The Truth recently added The Big Fish moniker to his title. He left the ring with three, of the four belts, in the Welterweight division. Now the wait starts for one of the biggest fights that boxing could make. IBF, WBA, WBC champion Errol Spence Jr. versus WBO Championship Terrance Crawford, who are you taking?
Let me know your thoughts on the Welterweight Championship unification fight between Spence Jr, and Crawford by reaching out to me on Twitter @whatsgoodnsport or shoot me an email at voiceofthefans@outlook.com. Which fight, are you looking forward to seeing, if not this fight?
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