The loss of Terence Crawford to Errol Spence Jr has plunged the former who is a former unified welterweight champion into a state of intense scrutiny. He is branded by many boxing fans and analysts as 'washed up' after their suggestions his best days are behind him. But Spence has not remained silent in the face of such criticisms. He has stroked himself and denied being past his peak. This article covers the criticisms leveled at Spence, his response, and what lies in the boxer’s future as an active athlete.
Since the July 29, 2023 fight against Terence Crawford, the "washed up" narrative became popular with Spence. In Spence’s bout, many fans were shocked when he lost a 9th-round TKO. Spence was one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world before this fight. But such a defeat so close to the finish certainly brought into question whether he still had it left in him.
The loss also was accompanied by long stretches of inactivity for Spence. He had not fought since April 16, 2022, when he defeated Yordenis Ugas, before facing Crawford. Some suggested ring rust played a part in his poor performance, it had been two years since he beat Khatchikian.
Following his loss, there were comments on social media saying Spence was no longer elite. The accumulation of injuries, including the recent eye surgery he had in 2021 and his past car incidents had made some fans believe they had taken their past toll on his ability.
Boxing analysts also debated how evident Spence’s decline was before the Crawford fight. Others mentioned the fact that against Ugas, he took significant damage and won handily. Some said that his weight-cutting might have weakened him in the sport over the years.
The criticism was not something Spence spared to answer. He then tweeted in response to fans dubbing him 'washed up.'
"Some of y’all use ‘he washed’ too loosely. Post y’all momma so you can see what washed really is ????."
Spence’s response in this case showed the confidence and dry humor he has in meeting unkind comments. He rejected that label as an overused and inaccurate term.
Reminding fans that one bad performance does not define a fighter's career, Spence has quietly proven to be one the best pound-and-pound fault boxers today and is showing no signs of slowing down. He had just fought his way to undefeated, and thus far knocked off most influential fighters, Shaw Porter, Danny Garcia, and Mikey Garcia.
Spence also said that he hoped that his defeat to Crawford didn’t mean he was also an elite fighter in decline. Crawford is one of the greatest fighters in the world and losing to him does not mean he cannot compete at the top level, he added.
At the heart of all these questions is of course whether Spence will fight a rematch with Terence Crawford. Spence and Crawford agreed to a two-fight deal therefore Spence can activate a rematch clause before their first bout.
But many fans think a rematch from the first bout between the two would favor Mayweather. Instead, Spence is determined to redeem himself. He has expressed interest in running it back saying that while he was not at his best in the first fight, he can adjust to win.
There is also a possibility that Spence jumps to the 154-pound division. Spence has always maintained bouts at welterweight (147 pounds) throughout his career, but he has conceded that cutting the weight has gotten progressively tougher.
Giving Spence a move to junior middleweight (154 pounds) may work in his favor since he would be fighting at a more natural weight. There are several big-name fighters in this division that he could have a crack at, including Jermell Charlo, Sebastian Fundora, and Tim Tszyu.
With the immediate rematch with Crawford off, there are many exciting fights still for Spence. Some potential opponents include:
Anyone has a tough loss there are going to be challenges in coming back mentally. Never tasting defeat beforehand, Spence will have to prove his character after getting humbled by a Crawford fight.
History has shown that it can recover from defeats and continue with success. I don’t want to give the impression that Muhammad Ali, Manny Pacquiao, or Canelo Alvarez hadn’t had setbacks in their careers, but they’ve risen again. He will have to prove that same type of resilience.
To prove his critics wrong, Spence has to be at his physical peak for his next fight. Theoretically, they can blame weight cuts for his poor performance against Crawford as some boxing experts say this was an issue that could have affected his performance. If Spence empties the depths, he may not be burdened by dieting from the extreme edge, and hence producing at a grade higher level.
Spence’s training camp will be just as crucial as well. He will need to work on his defense, increase his speed and make sure he is fully recovered from any niggles.
However, Spence has always been known to be a very aggressive, high-volume puncher. He had trouble with defense and head movement against Crawford, but against him, he struggled. To even return to the top, he may have to change up his fighting style, such as his counterpunching, and defensive awareness.
Spence could very well be rabid to make his point against the best but as such, has to play his cards smart in terms of his comeback. Rather than immediately running out to a rematch with Crawford, he may need to get a job doing first — against a good contender to get his confidence and rhythm back.
Spence’s inactivity has been one of his biggest criticisms. To shut the cynics up, it’s necessary if he wants to shut the CBC down, for him to take on several fights each year. It will then allow him to gain his edge back and show he is still one of the best fighters in the world.
Washed up or not, if the criticism of Errol Spence Jr is more than just an article of boxing camp jest, then it's inspired debate. His loss to Terence Crawford was a big setback, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s done as a top-tier fighter.
Spence’s statement proves that he’s not shaken by the criticism. That win is critical in terms of whether he can go back to championship form. Spence has the opportunity to redefine his career and silence his doubters by whether he chooses to rematch Crawford, or move up to 154 and take on another top contender.