By Norm Frauenheim –

LOS ANGELES — It was a ceremonial weigh-in, which is another way of saying it was phony. But there was nothing phony about the look. From Terence Crawford, it never has been.

Crawford looked at and through Israil Madrimov the way he has throughout a career introduced and defined by unblinking, unforgiving eyes impossible to ignore and intense enough to fear. Crawford doesn’t say much. He doesn’t have to. Those eyes say it all. They have throughout a career without a loss and never a sign of hesitancy or self-doubt.

Errol Spence has seen it. Shawn Porter, and so many more, have seen it. It was Madrimov’s turn at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles Friday about 24 hours before their junior-middleweight title fight at BMO Stadium just a few miles of roadwork down the freeway.

They had already made weight earlier in the day behind closed doors for the California State Athletic  Commission. Crawford (40- 31 KOs) was at 153.4 pounds. Madrimov (10-0-1, 7 KOs) was at the 154-pound limit. A ceremonial version in front of fans and cameras was next. It’s one way to sell the pay-per-view for a card scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. PT (4:30 ET). It’s mostly theater, rehearsed and packaged. 

But for Crawford it was one more chance to unleash a look seen for the first time for the fighter standing across from him. We’ve seen the look on video and in photos. For those last few moments on a stage in downtown LA, however, it included more than just ceremony. There was chaos. At least, that was the promise, the forecasted threat, on the night before the first jab ignites the controlled violence.

Did it affect Madrimov? We won’t know until opening bell in a soccer stadium built on real estate that once included the old Sports Arena, a cornerstone to LA’s rich boxing history. But the look was a sure sign that the fight was already underway in the minds of both Crawford and Madrimov.  

“I was already the best at 154 when I stepped into this division,’’ said Crawford, a former undisputed champion at welterweight and junior-welter, who will fight for the first time at junior-middle against Madrimov, the champion about to make a first-time defense.

Madrimov is given a chance because of his familiarity at the weight. He’s a natural junior-middleweight. Then again, Crawford might be a natural force-of-nature. He’s on a roll, including a streak of 11 successive stoppages. 

The argument is that eventually a move up the scale will stop Crawford, end his pound-for-pound reign. Madrimov appeared to be unshaken by a look that has left a lot of Crawford opponents beaten before the first counter lands.

“I have a plan,’’ said the unbeaten Uzbek, who has been training in the desert east of Los Angeles under veteran trainer Joel Diaz’ guidance. “I have a plan to showcase my skills and prove I’m the best in this division.’’

Madrimov, mostly unknown among Mexican-American fans in Southern California, possesses athleticism and two-fisted power. Like Crawford, he’s versatile, able to switch from southpaw to orthodox and back.

A former gymnast, his footwork includes angles that could give Crawford problems. He’s an educated fighter, one who learned the craft through a decorated amateur career that includes more than 300 bouts. 

Translation: He knows what he’s doing. But, Crawford said, he’ll have to know a lot more than just that.

Crawford says he has beaten a lot of fighters whose resume includes trophies and medals.

“They all left the ring the same way, and I look for him to leave the same way,’’ Crawford said moments after a stare down that has always included an unmistakable look at him.

And what he intends to do. 

On The Undercard 

Former unified heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. (35-2, 22 KOs), who is coming off a 23-month layoff,  faces Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller (26-1-1, 22 KOs). Miller was at 305.6 pounds, the lightest Miller has weighed in six years. Ruiz was at 274.4 pounds, the heaviest he’s been since his rematch loss to Anthony Joshua in December 2019. “This is everything for me, of course it is,’’ said Ruiz, remembered for his huge upset of Joshua in New York. “I had everything in the palm of my hand. Then, it just went away. I want to be a damn champion again.’’

In another heavyweight fight,  promising Jared Anderson (17-0, 15 KOs) is in for his toughest test against Martin Bakole (20-1, 15 KOs). Anderson was at a career-high 252.4 pounds. Bakole also came in at a career-high weight, 284.4 pounds.

Mexican junior-welterweight champion Isaac Cruz (26-2-1, 18 KOs) got huge cheers from Mexican fans  He was at 140 pounds against Jose Valenzuela (13-2, 9 KOs), who was at 139.8.

David Morrell (10-0, 9 KOs), a Cuban living in Minneapolis, looks as if  he’s a possibility at light-heavyweight for David Benavidez, the Phoenix fighter who has decided to stay at 175 pounds. Benavidez relinquished his spot as the WBC’s so-called mandatory challenger to Canelo Alvarez’ super-middleweight title. Instead, Benavidez, who hopes to resume his career later this year, has a so-called mandatory shot at the 175-pound winner of Dmitry Bivol-versus-Artur Beterbiev in October. Morrell (10-0, 9 KOs) will be at light-heavy for a vacant title against Radivoje Kalajdzic (29-2, 21 KOs). Morrell, who has scored seven successive stoppages, was at 174.8 pounds Friday. Kalajdzic was at 174.4.

Andy Cruz (3-0, 1 KO), an Olympic gold medalist from Cuba, was at 134 pounds for his lightweight bout against Antonio Moran, who came in at 134.8. Cruz is a Boots Ennis stablemate. “Boots will be here, at ringside,’’ Cruz said of Philadelphia’s welterweight champion. Ennis wants to fight Crawford, who instead might be in line for a big-money bout against 168-pound Canelo. 

By Norm Frauenheim –

One year ends and another begins with a re-energized debate ignited by Naoya Inoue, who didn’t let a chance at a year-ending statement go to waste.

Inoue was efficient for his blend of power plus precision. He was extraordinary for his consistency. He’s not going anywhere. Neither is Terence Crawford.

A good case for both can made in Fighter-of-the-Year and pound-for-pound arguments. Take a poll, and you might get a draw.

From this corner, Inoue gets Fighter of the Year for his brilliance over two bouts, first Stephen Fulton in July and then Marlon Tapales Tuesday in Tokyo. He moves up in weight, from bantam to junior-feather, and continues to do what he did at junior-fly in 2014.

Fighter of the Year? How about Fighter of the Last Decade?

At the top of this pound-for-pound scale, however, it’s still Crawford for a singular performance, best of the year, in stopping fellow welterweight Errol Spence Jr. There’s a lot of talk that Spence was/is shot. Maybe. Still there’s no substantive evidence – no documented answers — to the questions included in all that talk.

What we did see was an extraordinary Crawford, whose dynamic skillset had a lot – perhaps everything – to do with making a onetime pound-for-pound contender look shot.

The eye test continues to say that nobody – not even Inoue — has Crawford’s quick-silver versatility or calculated ability to make the right adjustment at the right time. He’s still boxing’s best finisher, a fighter with a predatory instinct. He knows how and when to close the show.

With only one fight, however, he just didn’t do enough of it last year. Inoue did. Hence, this corner’s split ballot.

But there are no losers in this debate. It’s the debate itself, its intensity, that gives the business some vital momentum going into 2024.

The biggest news story in 2023 was Showtime’s decision in October to leave ringside after a 37-year run of boxing telecasts. In its final year, the network provided what could be a good springboard into a new — pivotal — year, especially with the pay-per-view bouts featuring Tank Davis-Ryan Garcia in April and Crawford-Spence in July.

A reported pay-per-view number of 1.2 million for Davis-Garcia proved there was still an audience out there, despite all the doom-and-gloom that suggested boxing was dying all over again.

Then, there was Crawford-Spence, a long-awaited fight that restored faith among hard-core fans that big fights could still get made.

What’s next? Amazon Prime. It and Saudi money figure to be the biggest stories in 2024. It’s still not known how much Amazon Prime will invest in the sport as boxing’s next broadcast platform. Meanwhile, the Saudis have already shown they’re willing to spend, especially on the heavyweights. But the sport’s inherent unpredictability is always a risk.

To wit: Joseph Parker’s one-sided decision over Deontay Wilder on Dec. 23 in a stunner that upset a bigger plan: Wilder-versus-Anthony Joshua.

Still, there are a lot of fights to be made, up-and-down the scale. Just listen to the Crawford-Inoue debate. It sounds like potential business.

Notes

Oscar Valdez Jr., badly bloodied and beaten by Emanuel Navarrete on August 12 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale AZ, is back in the gym, according to social-media footage posted this week. The 33-year-old Valdez is popular in Mexico and Arizona. The Mexican Olympian went to school in Tucson. The former featherweight and junior-lightweight champ hopes for a possible comeback in March.

More year-end talk: Crawford and Inoue are at the top of the debate. Devin Haney is third in most of the Fighter-of the-Year conversation. For the first-time, super-middleweight David Benavidez is getting mentioned among the first five possibilities. Benavidez probably wouldn’t put himself there. After his solid decision over Caleb Plant in March and beat-down of Demetrius Andrade in November, the Phoenix-born fighter said he still had to work to do to gain pound-for-pound recognition. But Fighter-of-the-Year consideration is the kind recognition that further strengthens his case for a shot at Canelo Alvarez in May or September

By Norm Frauenheim –

Risk & Reward was the message on Terence Crawford’s T-shirt at a weigh-in last Friday.

Then, it was subtle.

Nearly a week later, it’s big.

Pay-per-view numbers for the Showtime telecast of Crawford’s masterful triumph in a ninth-round stoppage of Errol Spence Jr. Saturday are evidence that risk & reward can work together instead of against each other in making fights.

Initial reports from Dan Rafael’s Fight Freaks Unite and Boxing Scene five days after the welterweight bout put the pay-per-view number at 650,000 buys. It could climb to 700,000. The reports are based on anonymous sources. There are conflicting reports of 550,000.

But either number is a success, especially for Crawford, who had never generated more than a reported 200,000 for a pay-per-view appearance.

Multiple people attached to the Crawford-Spence promotion in Las Vegas last week told 15 Rounds that 500,000 was the break-even point. The live gate at Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena was a reported $21 million. The crowd was announced at 19,990.

Spence and Crawford could each collect more than $20 million each.

Crawford’s T-shirt said it all.

It was a subtle twist, a rewrite of the ratio that had been paralyzing the business for years. It was risk-to-reward.

It worked for Floyd Mayweather, a boxer-banker who retired unbeaten and used the ratio to become the world’s richest athlete with huge paydays that included Manny Pacquiao in 2015 and mixed-martial-arts celebrity Connor McGregor a couple of years later.

The ratio became the model for the generation that followed. What worked for Mayweather, however, didn’t work after him.

Increasingly, the reward factor outweighed the risk. In effect, it became risk-versus-reward instead of risk-to-reward. It paralyzed the game, turning it into an exasperating never-never land. There were fights demanded by the market, yet most never got past the bargaining table and into the ring.

A sure sign of a business breakthrough was delivered on April 22 with Tank Davis’ stoppage of Ryan Garcia. The PPV number for that one was reported to be 1.2 million. The live gate, also at T-Mobile, was reported to be $22.8 million.

The 136-pound bout – Garcia was finished by a body punch in the seventh — didn’t compare to Crawford’s singular performance in knocking down Spence three times. Showtime will replay the telecast Saturday (9 p.m., ET/PT). But Davis-Garcia reawakened a market, one still willing to reward real risk.

Nearly three months later, Risk & Reward were there.

First, on a T-shirt.

Then, in the ring.   

Valdez, Navarrete ready for AZ showdown

Oscar Valdez Jr. wraps up his training camp in Lake Tahoe, expecting a tactical challenge from unorthodox Emanuel Navarrete on August 12 at Desert Diamond Casino in Glendale AZ.

“We all know that Navarrete has an awkward style,’’ said Valdez (31-1, 23 KOs), a former two-division champion.  “We might not have the perfect sparring that can emulate his style.

“But we try to imitate him in the mitt work and strategy. He’s not your typical fighter that throws straight shots.”

Valdez is a slight betting favorite over Navarrete, a fellow Mexican and a former featherweight champion who moved up the scale and won the World Boxing Organization’s junior-lightweight belt in a difficult fight against unknown Liam Wilson, also at Desert Diamond.

Wilson, a late stand-in from Australia, knocked down Navarrete in the fourth round of a controversial fight on Feb 3, also at Desert Diamond.

Navarrete spit out his mouth piece. He gained some time to recover as the referee retrieved it. Navarrete went on to batter Wilson, scoring a ninth-round TKO of the tough Aussie.

“Winning this fight would boost my career significantly,’’ Navarrete (37-1, 31 KOs) said from his camp in San Diego. “Personally, I would feel complete. What has been missing in my career is precisely a victory against someone like Valdez. It would fill me with pride to be part of such an iconic fight between Mexicans and come out victorious.”

Both fighters are well-known in Arizona. Valdez, a former Mexican Olympian who went to school in Tucson, is poised to fight for the sixth time in AZ.

Navarrete will fight for the third time in the state.

WHAT: Terence Crawford’s emphatic ninth-round TKO over Errol Spence Jr. on Saturday night on SHOWTIME PPV^®, in which Crawford became the first undisputed welterweight champion of the four-belt era, will premiere on SHOWTIME and will be available on streaming on the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan, this Saturday, August 5 at 9 p.m. ET/PT giving fans another opportunity to witness what the Wall Street Journal called a “masterful performance” from Crawford, who also became the first male fighter to win the undisputed title in two weight classes. Spence vs. Crawford will also be available on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME on day of premiere.

In a newly released clip from inside the ring during the immediate aftermath of the fight, Crawford approaches Spence and tells him, “I appreciate you. You know why? Because if it wasn’t for you, this would never have happened. So I appreciate you. You’re a hell of a fighter.” To watch the clip, go to: https://youtu.be/w9easTw4Ebk.

In addition, ALL ACCESS: SPENCE VS. CRAWFORD EPILOGUE will premiere immediately following the delayed telecast, capping a memorable buildup chronicled by the Emmy^® Award-winning series. As an indication of the historical significance and magnitude of Saturday’s event, Episode One of ALL ACCESS: SPENCE VS. CRAWFORD has garnered 2.2 million views, while Episode Two has 1.8 million views on the SHOWTIME SPORTS^® YouTube channel alone.

Below are some notable headlines from Saturday’s event, which many are calling the most significant boxing match in decades, and Crawford’s performance, which has cemented him as No. 1 on most pound-for-pound lists.

High-Profile Headlines

• Associated Press — Crawford unifies welterweight division with 9th-round TKO in dominant performance over Spence

“The fight, the most-anticipated boxing match in several years, made Crawford the first undisputed champion in the 147-pound division in the four-belt era that began in 2004.

• The Los Angeles Times — Terence Crawford dominates Errol Spence Jr., earns ninth-round TKO

“Terence “Bud” Crawford saved his best performance for the biggest stage and delivered a virtuoso performance.”

• The New York Times — Terence Crawford Knocks Out Errol Spence in One-Sided Bout

“The rare matchup of two of the best pound-for-pound boxers ended with Crawford dominating the whole fight.”

• CBS Sports – Terence Crawford delivers performance of a lifetime in thrashing Errol Spence, and he’s not close to finished

“The virtuoso showing was nearly incomparable to any other in sports.”

• Yahoo! Sports — In a fight for the ages, Terence Crawford delivers performance of a lifetime vs. Errol Spence Jr.

“This, without hyperbole, was one of the greatest weeks for the frequently maligned sport of boxing in the last 50 years, if not longer…And Terence Crawford’s ninth-round TKO victory Saturday over Errol Spence Jr. for the undisputed welterweight title before 19,980 fortunate fans at T-Mobile Arena ranks among the greatest performances in a huge fight ever.”

• ESPN — Boxing pound-for-pound rankings: Terence Crawford or Naoya Inoue? And what about Errol Spence Jr.?

“His demolition of Errol Spence Jr. was more impressive in stamping his place (as No.1 pound-for-pound) than Mike Tyson’s 90-second dismissal of Michael Spinks in 1988.”

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About Paramount+

Paramount+, a direct-to-consumer digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, combines live sports, breaking news and a Mountain of Entertainment™. The premium streaming service features an expansive library of original series, hit shows and popular movies across every genre from world-renowned brands and production studios, including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and the Smithsonian Channel. Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, the service’s cornerstone plan, is also home to SHOWTIME content including scripted hits, critically acclaimed nonfiction projects, SHOWTIME SPORTS^® (including industry-leading SHOWTIME Boxing) and films. This premium plan includes unmatched events and sports programming through the local live CBS stream, including golf to basketball and more, plus streaming access to CBS News Network for 24/7 news and CBS Sports HQ for sports news and analysis.  

LAS VEGAS –It’s always been what Terence Crawford said it was.

It’s his era.

This Bud is forever.

Terence “Bud” Crawford delivered the proof – definitively – Saturday with a devastating ninth-round stoppage of Errol Spence Jr. in front of a T-Mobile Arena crowd that roared, first in disbelief and then in just plan admiration.

At his best, Crawford has been The Sweetest Scientist of his generation. But the proof was always elusive for the welterweight from Omaha, a midwestern city in a state known more for college football, wheat and Warren Buffett than boxing.

“Nobody believed me,’’ Crawford said in a ring crowded with his fans, officials and cops.

They do, now.

Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) was at his scientific best, breaking down fighters in a way nobody ever has. Spence (28-1, 22 KOs) had never been knocked down. Crawford floored him three times, once in the second and twice in the seventh.

Crawford’s many – now former – critics often complained about his resume. The question was always:

Who have you fought?

Spence and his trainer, Derrick James, asked exactly that question just a few days before opening bell.

But he dominated Spence as much as he has everyone else in his era. Perhaps, more so.

To wit: Crawford found himself in tougher fights against Shawn Porter and Jose Benavidez Jr. Porter’s dad threw in the towel after 10 rounds. Benavidez didn’t fall until the 12^th and final round.

Dominance defines Crawford, explains his era. He’s been so dominant that it’s almost hard to believe. Until now.

“It means everything because of who I took the belts from,’’ said Crawford, who added Spence’s three belts, giving him an undisputed four for the second time in his career. “They tried to blackball me. They kept me out. They talked bad about me. They said I wasn’t good enough and I couldn’t beat these welterweights.

“I just kept my head to the sky and kept praying to God that I would get the opportunity to show the world how great Terence Crawford is. Tonight, I believe I showed how great I am.”

There was no argument from Spence, who fought for only the third time since his scary auto accident.

“My timing was a little bit off,’’ Spence said.  “He was just the better man tonight.

“He was just throwing the hard jab. He was timing with his jab. His timing was just on point. I wasn’t surprised by his speed or his accuracy. It was everything I thought.

“We gotta do it again. I’m going to be a lot better. It’ll be a lot closer. It’ll probably be in December and the end of the year. I say we gotta do it again. Hopefully, it will happen 154 (pounds).”

Their contract includes a rematch clause. But Crawford’s dominance might erode the public demand for a sequel.

It was apparent in the second round. Crawford threw a left hand. Then a jab. Then a precise combination. Spence was down, down for the first time in his career. He looked confused. Defeat was on his horizon for the first time.

Seven rounds later, defeat was reality.

In the seventh, Crawford dropped Spence with a counter. He dropped him again with a right hook set up by an uppercut to the body.

It was just a matter of time. That time arrived in the ninth. Referee Harvey Dock looked at Spence, bloodied in the face and standing unsteady legs. Dock ended at 2:32 of the ninth.

“It was a good stoppage,’’ Crawford said.

It’s been an even better era..

Isaac Cruz wins split decision

Isaac Cruz is built like a boulder. He moves like one.too. He tirelessly pursues, picking up momentum from round to round like a stone moving down a slight incline. Don’t get on his way. Giovanni Cabrera did. Punishment was the price.

Somehow, Cabrera stayed upright. Somehow, he survived.

But he lost anyway, losing a debatable split-decision to the stronger, more aggressive Cruz Saturday night in the last fight before the long-awaited Crawford-Spence main event.

Two judges scored it for Cruz, 114-113 and 115-112. A third judge, Glenn Feldman had it 114-113 for Cabrera. Fledman’s score was announced first. The crowd groaned. But there was no outrage this time. Just questions.

“I thought I dominated the first,” Cruz (25-2-1, 17 KOs), of Mexico City, said through an  interpreter.

So did the crowd. But Cruz, who put himself in line for a shot at lightweight champion Tank Davis, hurt himself by holding in the eighth round. He was penalized a point. He also could never knock down the game Cabrera (21-1, 7 KOs, who is trained by Hall of Famer Freddie Roach.  

Repeatedly, Cruz fired menacing shots from a crouch. Lefts and rights from all angles were launched as Cruz seemed to spring up and forward at the taller Cabrera. A couple of the shots, successive left, landed and echoed throughout an arena that was beginning to fill up with restless anxious for the Crawford-Spence showdown.

40-year-old Nonito Donaire loses bid for another title

It was a Filipino hello. And a Filipino goodbye

A T-Mobile Arena crowd welcomed back Filipino legend Manny Pacquiao as a fan at about the same time it prepared to say goodbye to Nonito Donaire as a fighter.

It was a moment, a slice of Filipino history, that transpired late in a  Donaire loss to Mexican Alexandndro Santiago for the World Boxing Council’s bantamweight title in a pay-per-view bout Saturday on the Spence-Crawford card.

Doniare, certain to be a Hall of Famer, didn’t say he would retire in the immediate aftermath of a unanimous-decision defeat.

“I love the sport tso much,” said Donaire, a 116-112, 115-113, 116-112 loser.  “But I’ll have to go back, talk to wife and see what’s next.”

A long twelve rounds was evidence that very little is left. Donaire (42-7, 28 KOs) looked every bit his age. He’s 40. He had hoped to become the oldest bantamweight champion ever. But Santiago proved repeatedly that it’s a younger man’s sport. Santiago (28-35, 14 KOs) displayed more energy and quicker feet.  

He made Donaire look almost stationary. The middle-aged Filipino no longer had the energy in his legs or feet to set up the Donaire power that still echoes over his many many years in the ring.

Yoenis Telez wins third-round stoppage

He was the stand-in. He also was the last one standing.

Yoenis Tellez, a substitute for injured junior-middleweight prospect Jesus Ramos of Casa Grande AZ, delivered power that surprised Sergio Garcia and then beat him Saturday in the Showtime pay-per-view opener on the Errol Spence-Terence Crawford card at T-Mobile Arena.

Tellez (6-0, 5 KOs), a Cuban, rocked Garcia (34-3, 14 KOs) with a right hand set up by a glancing left. Garcia’s knees buckled. It looked as if he might go down. But he caught himself and quickly sprung back up. This time, Telez was there to meet the Spaniard with anotherleft tnat  put him down.

Again, Gracia jumped up .But he had an uncertain look in his eyes as referee Robert Hoyle counted. Then, Garcia stumbled  as he tried to walk to his corner. That’s when Hoyle ended it, a TKO at 2:02 of the third round.

Steven Nelson remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Rowdy Legend Montgomery in a super middleweight fight.

Nelson, 167.8 lbs of Omaha, NE won by scores 100-90 and 99-91 twice and is now 19-0. Montgomery, 166.8 lbs of Victorville, CA is 10-5-1.

Jose Salas stopped Aston Palicte in round four of their 10-round super bantamweight.

Salas dropped Palicte to a knee in round four. Palicte got to his feet, but the fight was stopped at 1:30.

Salas is now 13-0 with 10 knockouts. Palicte is 28-8-1.

Jabin Chollet wins second-round TKO

Jabin Chollet probably broke more of a sweat after the fight than he did during it.

Chollet (8-0, 7 KOs) headed out,  back into Vegas”s meltdown heat, after some quick work, a second-round stoppage  of Michael Portales (3-2-1, 1 KO) in a lightweight bout on the non-televised portion of the Spence-Crawford card Saturday at T-Mobile.

The overmatched Portales, of Hayward CA, was simply too small for Chollet, of San Diego. 

Demier Zamora wins easily, scores a scorecard shutout of Buzolin

He calls himself The War Machine. But there was no war Saturday. More like maneuvers.

Las Vegas lightweight Demier Zamora (12-0, 9 KOs) had all of the right ones, out-maneuvering Nikolai Buzolin (9-5-1, 5 KOs), of Brooklyn NY,  throughout eight rounds for a shutout decision in the third fight on the Crawford-Spence card. 

DeShawn Prather scores knockdown, wins narrow decision

Only a knockdown separated DeShawn Prather from Kevin Ventura .

A fifth round knockdown of Ventura allowed Prather to escape with a narrow victory in a welterweight fight Saturday afternoon about six hours before the Spence-Crawford showdown for the undisputed welterweight title at T-Mobile..

Prather (16-1, 2 KOs), of Kansas City, got a unanimous decision, 57-56 on all three cards against Ventura (11-1, 8 KOs), of Omaha.

First Bell: Spence-Crawford card off to a hot start

On the streets, there was no way to avoid the 112-degree heat. Inside T-Mobile Arena, there was no avoiding Justin Viloria.

Viloria (3-0, 3 KOs) got the Errol Spence-Terence Crawford show off to a hot start in a Saturday matinee, scoring a fourth-round stoppage of Pedro Borgaro (4-1, 2 KOs) in a junior-lightweight bout.

The aggressive Viloria, of Whittier CA, went on to land successive shots. By the fourth, a tiring Borgaro, of Mexico, looked defenseless. At 41 seconds of the round, referee Robert Hoyle ended it.

Follow all the action as Errol Spence Jr. takes on Terence Crawford for the Undisputed Welterweight Title. NO BROWSER REFESEH NEEDED. THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY

Round 1: Left to body from Spence…1-2…Counter left from Crawford…

ROUND 2 Combination from Spence..Double jab and combination from Crawford…Left from Spence..Jab from Craford..Left to body..BIG JAB FROM SPENCE AND DOWN GOES CRAWFORD…

ROUND 3 Hard combo from Spence…Hard counter from Crawford…Counter right..Jab..

ROUND 4  Body shot from Crawford…Left uppercut…Hard straight left…Doube jab and left hand from Spence…Hard jab from Crawford..Spence bleeding around the right eye

ROUND 5 hard counters from Crawford..Huge uppercut..2 rights from Spence…Goof left from Spence…Jab from Crawford..

ROUND 6 Massive jab from Crawford…Counter left…Left..

ROUND 7 Huge right,,Thudding jabs..COUNTER RIHGHT HOOK DOWN GOES SPENCE..Huge Body shot…BIG KEFT AND DOWN GOS SPENCE…

ROUND 8 Big left from Crawford

ROUND 9 HUGE COMBINATION,,,,SPENCE IS HURT…FIGHT STOPPED

Round 1 Lead left from Cruz
Round 2 Cabrera lands a jab to the body. Lunging left from Cruz..Left hook to the body..Lead left uppercut from Cabrera…Counter right from Cruz…Check right from Cabrera…
Round 3 Lead left from Cruz..Right to the head…
Round 4 Left from Cruz…
Round 5 Lead left from Cabrera…Left hook from Cruz…Nice right..Left hook..Jab, 2 rights and a hard left,…Big right..
Round 6 Left hook from Cruz…Big left and right..Left hook
Round 7 Overhand right from Cruz…Left and right..Hard left…Cabrera showing a great chin
Round 8 Good left from Cabrera..Overhand right from Cruz..CRUZ DEDUCTED A POINT FOR PULLING THE HEAD…Cuz lands flush shots…Overhand right…Heaving flurry
Round 9 Left uppercut and left uppercut to body from Cruz..Lead left hook to the head…
Round 10 Left hook to top of head by Cruz…
Round 11 Double left hook for Cruz..Left and jab from Cabrera 
Round 12

114-113 CABRERA….114-113 CRUZ….115-112 CRUZ

Round 1:Uppercut from Donaire

ROUND 2 Right from Donaire..Counter left hook..Double jab…Right from Santiago

ROUND 3 Big Right from Donaire…Santiago bleeding from right side of forehead

ROUND 4 Santiago lands a right…Uppercut

ROUND 5 Double jab-right hand from Santiago…Good left hook..Right inside…right and left at the bell

ROUND 6 Right from Santiago…Body work,,,Donaire jab..Body shot

ROUND 7 HEADBUTT CAUSES CUT AROUND LEFT EYE OF SANTIAGO…

ROUND 8 Counter left hook from Donaire..Uppercut from Santiago..Combinaton from Santiago..

ROUND 10 Good right from Santiago…

ROUND 11 Left hook from Donaire…Right from Santiago…Double jab…4 punch combination..

116-112 TWICE AND 115-113 FOR SANTIAGO

Round 1  Tellez Jabbing…Doublejab right hand..Jab from Garcia…Right from Tellez,,Left to the body..right uppercut from Garcia..Right
Round 2 Body shots from Tellez..Right and left from Garcia…Uppercut…Hard jab…Right from Tellez..
Round 3 left From Tellez…Right…HARD RIGHT ROCKS GARCIA AND ANOTHER DROPS HIN ON HIS BACK….HUGE FLURRY AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

By Norm Frauenheim 

LAS VEGAS – They are dangerous men. They’re engaged in what Mike Tyson once called the hurt business. But on the eve of hostility, they didn’t threaten each other.

They shook hands.

Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr., Brothers In Arms, reached across a scale Friday on a stage at T-Mobile Arena like partners, both agreeing to inflict the violence inherent to the business so aptly defined by Tyson.

By boxing’s modern standards, it was another unusual moment in what promises to be the biggest welterweight fight in years Saturday night on Showtime pay-per-view.

The last time two elite fighters stood on either side of a scale in Vegas, there was some unscripted drama. Devin Haney reached across with both hands, delivering a shove that sent Vasiliy Lomachenko tumbling on to the edge of the stage.

It was intended to generate attention and that’s what it got before Haney’s controversial unanimous decision over Lomachenko in late May.

But that shove was just more of the stuff that makes boxing look like another screaming exhibition of redundant outage.

Enter Crawford and Spence. They‘ve been trying to shove the business in another direction. It all depends on what happens in their much-anticipated fight for the 147-pound division’s undisputed title. Nobody is going to invest $84.99 in the pay-per-view to watch them shake hands.

Those hands are trained to hurt. Trained to spill blood. That’s why we watch. The danger is part of the attraction. But Crawford and Spence have been acting as if they know that. They know themselves. They know their audience.

Mostly, they know their craft and they don’t intend to dirty it up with trash talk or a pro-wrestling-like gesture.

Before the handshake, Crawford (39-0, 30 KOs) leaned over and spoke to Spence (28-0, 22 KOs). What did he say?

“Nothing much, other than we’re about to make history,’’ said Crawford, who was a quarter of a pound lighter (146.75) at the staged weigh-in than he was at the official one Friday morning. “Best man wins.’’

That didn’t sound like the ever-defiant, often-angry Crawford, who got into a testy exchange with a Spence fan at a news conference Thursday. The fan mocked Crawford, who reacted profanely. It was if the fan was mocking more than just Crawford. He was mocking his craft.

From Crawford, the edgy counter was a rhetorical shove. He shoved that fan into silence.

Through it all, there has been some compelling byplay between Crawford and Spence. A deadly rivalry is at play between these Brothers-In-Arms. But only they can settle it.

They like to argue about who played the biggest role in making sure the fight happened after it looked as if the possibility was dead in the wake of failed negotiations last fall. Before their handshake, Spence said he offered thanks to Crawford.

“I said thank you for helping make this happen,’’ said Spence, who was two-tenths of a pound heavier (147) at the staged weigh-in than he was at the official one. “Of course, I was the one who made it.

“Hey, this is Spence-Crawford, not Crawford-Spence.’’

Who’s first or second  won’t matter if the welterweight partnership delivers a singular performance that fulfills expectations and enhances a deadly craft.

Undisputed Welterweight World Championship – 12 Rounds

Errol Spence Jr. – 147 lbs.

Terence Crawford – 146.8 lbs.

Referee: Harvey Dock; Judges: Tim Cheatham (Nev.), David Sutherland (Okla.), Steve Weisfeld (N.J.)

WBC and WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator – 12 Rounds

Isaac Cruz – 134.6 lbs.

Giovanni Cabrera – 134.2 lbs.

Referee: Tom Taylor; Judges: Glenn Feldman (Conn.), Benoit Roussel (Canada), Don Trella (Conn.)

WBC Bantamweight World Championship (Vacant) – 12 Rounds

Nonito Donaire – 117.2 lbs.

Alexandro Santiago – 117.6 lbs.

Referee: Celestino Ruiz; Judges: Max DeLuca (N.Y.), Chris Migliore (Nev.), Steve Weisfeld (N.J.)

Super Welterweight Bout – 10 Rounds

Yoenis Tellez – 155.6 lbs.

Sergio Garcia – 155.4 lbs.

Note: Contracted weight is 156

Referee: Robert Hoyle; Judges: Guido Cavalleri (Italy), Tim Cheatham (Nev.), Patricia Morse Jarman (Nev.)

SHOWTIME PPV COUNTDOWN 

Stream Live at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT

on the SHOWTIME SPORTS^® YouTube Channel and the

SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook Page

Super Middleweight Bout – 10 Rounds

Steven Nelson – 167.8 lbs.

Rowdy Legend Montgomery – 166.8 lbs.

Referee: Mark Nelson; Judges: Eric Cheek (Nev.), Max DeLuca (N.Y.), David Sutherland (Okla.)

Super Bantamweight Bout – 10 Rounds

Jose Salas Reyes – 121.6 lbs.

Aston Palicte – 123.4 lbs.

Note: Palicte missed the contracted weight of 123 pounds. The fight will proceed as scheduled.

Referee: Allen Huggins; Judges: Chris Migliore (Nev.), Dave Moretti (Nev.), Mike Ross (Fla.)

Veteran sportscaster Brian Custer will host the SHOWTIME PPV telecast while versatile combat sports voice Mauro Ranallo will handle blow-by-blow action alongside Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and three-division world champion Abner Mares. Three Hall of Famers round out the telecast team – Emmy^®-winning reporter Jim Gray, world-renowned ring announcer Jimmy Lennon, Jr., and boxing historian Steve Farhood, who will serve as unofficial scorer. Four-time Emmy^® Award winner David Dinkins, Jr. will executive-produce the telecast with Bob Dunphy directing. Sportscaster Alejandro Luna will call the action in Spanish on Secondary Audio Programming (SAP) with former world champion and SHOBOX: The New Generation^® commentator Raúl “El Diamante” Marquez serving as the expert analyst.

The SHOWTIME PPV COUNTDOWN show is hosted by award-winning MORNING KOMBAT live digital talk show co-host Luke Thomas, renowned combat sports journalist Ariel Helwani and accomplished sports broadcaster Kate Abdo. 

#         #         #

ABOUT SPENCE VS. CRAWFORD

Spence vs. Crawford will see unified WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth’’ Spence Jr. take on WBO 147-pound world champion Terence “Bud’’ Crawford for the Undisputed Welterweight World Championship on Saturday, July 29 in a highly anticipated SHOWTIME PPV clash from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The pay-per-view begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz facing unbeaten Giovanni Cabrera in a 12-round WBC and WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event, plus future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire battles Mexican contender Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC Bantamweight Title. Kicking off the telecast is top prospect Yoenis Tellez dueling Spanish contender Sergio Garcia in a 10-round super welterweight attraction.

For more information visit sho.com/ppv and www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #SpenceCrawford, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing and www.Facebook.com/premierboxingchampions/.

The whose who of sports and entertainment is expected to be at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for the Errol Spence Jr. – Terence Crawford Undisputed Welterweight Title fight in Las Vegas.

On the guest list are:

Mark Davis 

Robert Pattinson 

Cardi B 

Tracy Morgan 

DeMarcus Cousins 

Jerry Jones 

Andre Ward 

Brandon Marshall 

Shannon Sharpe 

Michael Irvin 

Deontay Wilder 

Gavin Maloof 

Damian Lillard 

Odell Beckham Jr. 

Offset 

Mario Lopez 

Tyronn Lue 

Sam Cassell 

Jamie Dornan 

Mike Tyson 

Mark Wahlberg 

Taylor Sheridan 

Paul Pierce 

Dean Spanos 

Lil Jon 

Emilia Clarke 

Micah Parsons 

Ryan Clark 

Floyd Mayweather 

Zab Judah 

Manny Pacquiao 

Gervonta Davis 

Rolando Romero 

Yordenis Ugas 

Jermall Charlo 

Jermell Charlo 

By Norm Frauenheim

LAS VEGAS – Just when it sounded as if not much more could be said about Terence Crawford-versus-Errol Spence Jr., more was.

A lot more.

The last formal news conference at T-Mobile Arena took an unexpected turn Thursday. There was trash talk. It wouldn’t be boxing without at least some.

But this edition turned nasty with exchanges between fighters and fans from each of their camps.

At one point, it was punctuated by a racial epithet from Crawford, who used the N-word in an angry response to a Spence fan who had mocked his chances at beating Spence Saturday for the undisputed welterweight title.

“You ain’t gonna do nothing,’’ Crawford said to the fan. “You a (expletive), doing all that talking.’’

Initially, it was thought that the profane exchange was fueled by family members, who were at opposite ends of the seating arrangement in front of a stage on the floor at T-Mobile.

But Spence said the fan was not part of his family.

“He’s not a cousin,’’ Spence said. “He’s from Dallas.’’

Spence, who grew up in  the Dallas area, said Crawford went too far.

“He was definitely going a little too far,’’ Spence told reporters after the formal part of the news conference. “I mean, his people were saying stuff to me. I just smiled.’’

It wasn’t clear why emotional fans were even allowed to attend. The volatile moment – spontaneous combustion at a staged news conference – was sparked by the fight’s magnitude and escalating tensions as the opening bell nears.

Also, Crawford, who is known to be defiant, has never been afraid of confrontation. He has often said that he had a problem with his temper when he was younger.

The controversial language also stood out for another reason.

There was no real trash talk between the fighters themselves. Their mutual respect has been there since the fight was resurrected after it looked as if it would never happen in the wake of failed negotiations last fall.

Their mutual respect throughout the many media appearances doesn’t surprise Stephen Espinoza, Showtime’s President of Sports and Event Programming.

“If it’s Errol Spence, you’ve got to respect him,’’ Espinoza said just days before the pay-per-view bout. “If it’s Terence Crawford, you’ve got to respect him.’’

They do.

But fans and family put a different twist into the equation for a long-awaited fight that – for the last couple of months — has sold itself.

Even the trainers, Brian “BoMac” McIntyre for Crawford and Derrick James for Spence – got into the act Thursday.

McIntrye mounted the bully pulpit and said: “Comes a time when you can’t hide. War Time, War Time, War Time.’’

Then, it was James’ turn. He looked at McIntyre, a super-heavyweight who appears ready to go sumo.

“My chant is this: Time to Eat, Time to Eat,’’ James said. “Reason I’m saying this is he (BoMac) hasn’t missed a meal in years.’’

James and BoMac then went on to exchange a few more shots. James suggested that Crawford’s lofty pound-for-pound status and lone belt – The World Boxing Organization’s version of the 147-pound title – was manufactured against questionable opposition.

“Who you fought,?’ James said as he looked at Crawford.

Finally, BoMac just said:

“Shut the eff up.’’

On a hot afternoon when a news conference was about to go off the rails, that was the best suggestion of all. 

LAS VEGAS – July 27, 2023 – Undefeated boxing superstars Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and Terence “Bud” Crawford faced off Thursday at the final press conference before they meet to crown the first undisputed welterweight champion of the four-belt era this Saturday, July 29 headlining a SHOWTIME PPV from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

To kick off the main event portion of the press conference, legendary heavyweight champion Mike Tyson conducted a coin toss to determine which fighter would walk to the ring last on Saturday night. Crawford won the toss and can now decide whether he would like to walk to the ring last, or be introduced last once in the ring.

The press conference also saw pay-per-view undercard fighters face off before their respective matchups on the telecast beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The pay-per-view will see hard-hitting contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz and undefeated contender Giovanni Cabrera battle in a WBC and WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator that serves as the co-main event, future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire take on Mexican contender Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC Bantamweight World Championship, plus top prospect Yoenis Tellez duels Spanish contender Sergio Garcia in the telecast opener.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Man Down Promotions, TBC Promotions and TGB Promotions, are available through AXS.com.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Thursday from T-Mobile Arena:

ERROL SPENCE JR.

“I’m gonna win because I’m the better fighter. I’m better physically and mentally. I’m more durable. I’m gonna break him down and break his will.

“It would mean a lot to be undisputed. It would mean that I’m one of the greatest welterweights to ever lace up a pair of gloves.

“He’s gonna find out that my skills are superior. He’s talented, but when we talk about what my coach teaches, he’s gonna see that I have great offense, defense and stamina. It’s more than just talent.

“This is gonna be legendary. Make sure you tune-in. This is gonna be an old school fight. It’s gonna be iconic. You’re gonna want to buy this fight. You’re getting your money’s worth.

“People are gonna talk about this fight 30 or 40 years from now when you talk about legendary fights. They’re gonna talk about this fight the same way they talked about the ‘Four Kings’ era. There’s gonna be an amateur 20 years from now watching our fight on YouTube and saying man, I want to be in a fight like that.

“Everyone knows it’s ‘Strap Season’. I want to thank my parents, because they blessed me with the resiliency to get through a lot of stuff in life. Make sure you order the fight on SHOWTIME PPV. I guarantee you I’m gonna put on a great show. Bring your seasoning on Saturday night, because we’re gonna have a crawfish boil. Bring that hot sauce too.

“I guarantee you it’s gonna be nothing but fireworks from start to finish.”

TERENCE CRAWFORD

“I don’t go in there looking for the knockout, I go in there looking for the win. If he gets out of line he’s gonna be the next one going down.

“Everyone knows what time it is. I’m ready and he’s ready. We’re gonna have a fish fry come Saturday.

“He’s gonna find out the same thing that everyone else finds out. He’s gonna say that on TV I look one way. In the ring he’s gonna be seeing three of me.

“They say he’s the big bad wolf, but come fight night we’re gonna find out if he’s all that he says he is. He’s gonna have to show me.

“Everything about me is better than Errol. When you look at what I do in the ring, it’s better than what he does. Come fight night, I’m going to prove every doubter wrong. I’m going to show that I’m the best fighter in the world.

“This is the Terence Crawford era. When you look at my body of work in each weight class, you can’t deny that. This is my era. I’ve never had a close fight. I’ve never had a fight where people thought I lost. I’ve looked spectacular every time.

“This is what we do every time we come out. That talking can turn bad real quick. Support your fighter, and let’s come together and make this event a success.”

DERRICK JAMES, Spence’s Trainer

“There’s no more talking. Nothing else to say. My chant is, it’s time to eat. It’s time to make it happen. We’re tired of talking. It’s time to go. Show time.

“It takes a lot of fortitude, discipline and focus to win fights like this. Errol has that. He knows his time is on Saturday. We made this happen. We took every belt and beat champions to get here.”

BRIAN “BO MAC” MCINTYRE, Crawford’s Trainer

“We’re here now y’all. There’s nothing else to say. He can’t hide anymore. It’s time to take care of business. It’s time to go to work.

“We’re gonna find out who the best man is. I respect them for what they’ve done. We’ve been here before. You’re trying to get here. I can tell you how it is to be undisputed. Sit back and watch.”

ISAAC CRUZ

“I’m going to come out on Saturday and prove my worth. I’m going to show why I deserve a rematch with Gervonta Davis.

“I’m coming here to do my job and send a clear message. I’m not overrated, I’m worth every penny. I’m here to show everyone what I can do inside the ring.

“Let’s see who eats whose punches and who can withstand the most. I am going to eat Cabrera up.

“I’m a real Mexican fighter and I’m gonna show everyone what I can do once again on Saturday night.”

GIOVANNI CABRERA

“I’ve beaten more unbeaten fighters than most in boxing history. If you look at Cruz’s first 20 fights, most of those opponents were not good at all. I believe that I’ve earned my spot here and that I’m going to take the win.

“I’m 21-0 for a reason. Everyone I know has tried to take my head off and I’ve picked every single one of them apart.

“I want to represent Chicago and my Mexican blood. I’m here to give it my all, put my soul on the line and make sure I don’t regret anything.

“I hope he’s hungry; he’s going to eat a lot of punches. I am coming here to eat ‘Pitbull’ tacos.”

NONITO DONAIRE

“I gambled in my last fight, and sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Going into this fight, I just have to show everyone that I’ve still got it. I’m doing it for me now and to show what I’m capable of. I love the sport and I’m grateful that I’m getting the opportunity.

“The power at this age is so much more potent. I put so much more into it. Not just emotion and experience, but I put every essence of a man into this.

“I have to give big respect to my opponent, he’s never been down. But I’m the type of guy where if I see the opportunity, I’ll take it. There’s nothing more satisfying than a knockout.

“I don’t really look into the extra stuff. I have a bigger vision ahead of me. I want to become undisputed. That’s the only thing that I haven’t done in boxing. I’ve gotten lots of accolades, but never been undisputed. That’s my biggest purpose and that’s why I’m still fighting.

ALEXANDRO SANTIAGO

“In 2018 when I fought for the title, I was young. That fight is in the past. Through hard work, discipline and having a great team, I was able to grow. I’m way more mature now. I came here to become a world champion.

“All respect to Nonito. But on Saturday night people all over the world are going to get to know me and see what I’m capable of. I’m gonna put on a show for everyone watching.

“I have a fire inside of me. I want to make this dream come true. It’s not just about the objective, it’s about the journey. I’ve enjoyed how I’ve gotten here. My son was born two months ago, so this goes out to him and my family. It makes me want this even more.”

YOENIS TELLEZ

“This is just about taking advantage of a great opportunity given to me. We put experience to the side, because I just have to do my job and focus on winning.

“I promise that you’re going to see another Cuban fighter with championship potential. You’re going to see someone who’s skill is rising fast. The fans are going to see something they will definitely enjoy.”

SERGIO GARCIA

“I would have done the exact same thing he did. I’m not in a position to underestimate anyone. I have to win this fight to get what I want. What he does is his business.

“I’m going to show you what I can do. I don’t have to promise anything. I’ve trained so hard and you’ve seen that I’m the kind of fighter who leaves it all on the line. I’m going to give the fans the show they deserve and let the chips fall where they may.”

TOM BROWN, President of TGB Promotions

“I’ve been in this business over 35 years and I haven’t been this pumped up in a long time for a fight. This is spectacular and as good of a matchup as you can get.

“We have the two best fighters in the world, both unbeaten world champions and just so talented. It’s gonna be an all-out war from start to finish.

“When you look at the skills of each fighter, everything is so equal. Everything is so close between them. It’s gonna come down to who wants it more. It’s about mental toughness and who can dig down the deepest. There will be a new undisputed pound-for-pound champion on Saturday night.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, President, SHOWTIME Sports

“We are in the business of helping to create once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Saturday night is exactly that. It’s not a boxing match or a television show. Calling it those things doesn’t do it justice. A fight of this magnitude with these stakes is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

#         #         #

ABOUT SPENCE VS. CRAWFORD

Spence vs. Crawford will see unified WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth’’ Spence Jr. take on WBO 147-pound world champion Terence “Bud’’ Crawford for the Undisputed Welterweight World Championship on Saturday, July 29 in a highly anticipated SHOWTIME PPV clash from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The pay-per-view begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz facing unbeaten Giovanni Cabrera in a 12-round WBC and WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event, plus future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire battles Mexican contender Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC Bantamweight Title. Kicking off the telecast is top prospect Yoenis Tellez dueling Spanish contender Sergio Garcia in a 10-round super welterweight attraction.

For more information visit sho.com/ppv and www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #SpenceCrawford, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing and www.Facebook.com/premierboxingchampions/.

LAS VEGAS – July 26, 2023 – Fighters competing on the Errol Spence Jr. vs Terence Crawford SHOWTIME PPV undercard showed off their skills at an open to the public media workout on Wednesday before they step into the ring this Saturday, July 29 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The workout featured hard-hitting contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz and undefeated contender Giovanni Cabrera, who battle in a WBC and WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator that serves as the co-main event, future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire and Mexican contender Alexandro Santiago, who meet for the vacant WBC Bantamweight World Championship, plus top prospect Yoenis Tellez and Spanish contender Sergio Garcia, who duel in the telecast opener at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Man Down Promotions, TBC Promotions and TGB Promotions, are available through AXS.com.

The event also saw special appearances by the main event combatants Spence and Crawford, who addressed the fans in attendance ahead of their long-awaited clash Saturday night.

“It’s strap season, and we’re going to crawfish boil another guy on Saturday night,” said Spence. “We’re going to cook him up real good, so everyone make sure you bring your cajun seasoning… It’s going to be one for the history books. This is going to be one you’ll be talking about for a very long time.” 

“It’s another day in the office. I’m prepared for everything that’s going to come with securing a victory Saturday,” said Crawford. “I’ve been here before, and now it’s just a waiting game…You can expect fireworks and the best Terence Crawford that you guys have seen.”

Here is what the undercard fighters had to say Wednesday from MGM Grand:

ISAAC CRUZ

“I’m just going to have to be smart, and not get into his game. I need to dictate everything.

“The big fights and the big moments I’ve had definitely helped me mature, and the quality of opponents I’ve had have made me better ever since I fought them.”

GIOVANNI CABRERA

“His [Isaac Cruz] name is Pitbull. I thought he was going to bite me [at the fighter arrivals]. Good thing he didn’t.

“The bigger the anger of the beast, the harder he is going to fall on my sword. I am a bull fighter. I am a matador. Every fighter I have faced has tried to take my head off and I’ve picked them apart.”

NONITO DONAIRE

“Everybody showed up to dance around, but I’m going to show all of these guys what this old man can do.

“I’m going to keep going. I’m going to keep fighting, and I’m going to get that undisputed bantamweight title. That’s the only thing I have not done. I’ve done everything else – Fighter of the Year, Knockout of the Year, multiple divisions unified.”

ALEXANDRO SANTIAGO

“I fully respect a legend like Donaire outside the ring no matter what, but inside the ring, my hunger to win is unparalleled and I don’t care who is in front of me.

“It is an advantage that I am young, but Donaire’s a very dangerous fighter regardless of his age. I’m not about to underestimate him because he punches really hard and can be very dangerous if you let him.” 

YOENIS TELLEZ

“I’m good enough, I’m skilled enough and I’m hungry enough to take on something like this. When you have an opportunity to fight on a huge card like this one, it’s impossible to turn it down.

“There are so many things we want to do Saturday night. We’re going to put on a show, and you’re going to see me show out.” 

SERGIO GARCIA

“I’m so honored to be a part of this with all of you. All I want to do is put on a great show, because that’s what you all deserve.

“It doesn’t surprise me one bit that Tellez took this fight. Who wouldn’t take a fight like this on a card like this regardless of how many fights you’ve had beforehand? Experience will just be one factor of many in this fight.”

#         #         #

ABOUT SPENCE VS. CRAWFORD

Spence vs. Crawford will see unified WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth’’ Spence Jr. take on WBO 147-pound world champion Terence “Bud’’ Crawford for the Undisputed Welterweight World Championship on Saturday, July 29 in a highly anticipated SHOWTIME PPV clash from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The pay-per-view begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz facing unbeaten Giovanni Cabrera in a 12-round WBC and WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event, plus future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire battles Mexican contender Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC Bantamweight Title. Kicking off the telecast is top prospect Yoenis Tellez dueling Spanish contender Sergio Garcia in a 10-round super welterweight attraction.

For more information visit sho.com/ppv and www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #SpenceCrawford, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing and www.Facebook.com/premierboxingchampions/.

LAS VEGAS, NV (July 26, 2023) – Undefeated rising star, lightweight Demler “The War Machine” Zamora (11-0, 9 KOs), is ready to take his career to the next level with a signature win against Nikolai Buzolin (9-4-1, 5 KOs). The 8-round bout takes place this Saturday, July 29 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on the Errol Spence Jr. vs. Terence Crawford card.

Zamora, fighting in his hometown of Las Vegas, had an impressive win in his last fight defeating Jesus Abel Ibrarra (15-1, 7 KOs), by way of a third-round knockout, giving him his first loss. After the great performance, Zamora is now fighting in his first 8-round bout as a professional.

“It feels good to be fighting at home on the biggest fight of the year,” said an enthused Zamora. “This is the type of card and atmosphere that all fighters dream about when it comes to fighting on the big stage. I want to be the hidden gem of the event where everyone remembers my name. I have a great team behind me, and I’m ready to shine.”

Zamora turned pro in 2019 and is now looking to make an impression in the super featherweight division. Zamora believes a win here will set him up for a big fall in 2023.

“I have complete faith in my team and the direction my career is going,” continued Zamora. “I simply listen to my coaches and focus on what needs to be done. This will be my first 8-round bout and I’m looking forward to a bright future at 130 pounds. With a good win here, I believe I could have a big fall to finish off the year. I want to be seen as one of the best prospects in the sport of boxing and my goal is to enter that conversation by the end of this year.”

LAS VEGAS – July 25, 2023 – Fight week officially kicked off Tuesday as undefeated boxing superstars and pound-for-pound greats Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and Terence “Bud” Crawford made their grand arrivals at MGM Grand before they meet this Saturday, July 29 headlining a SHOWTIME PPV from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The unified WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Spence and WBO Welterweight World Champion Crawford will face-off Saturday night in a much anticipated clash to crown the first undisputed 147-pound champion of the four-belt era, with the winner likely to emerge as the sport’s top pound-for-pound fighter. Both fighters spoke to the historic nature of the fight in front of a large throng of fans at Tuesday’s grand arrivals.

“It would be a dream come true to become the first welterweight undisputed champion of the world in the four-belt era,” said Spence. “I watched all the great fighters as a kid. Now, I get to have my moment.

“I want the bright lights and the glory… He’s in his prime. I’m in my prime. We are the two best fighters in the welterweight division. The winner of the fight on Saturday night will be the best fighter in boxing.” 

“It’s going to be even sweeter to win the undisputed championship for the second time,” said Crawford, who previously was undisputed at 140-pounds, and who can become the first man to become undisputed at two weights with a win on Saturday. “That’s why we take the chances we take. That’s why we fight the way we fight. This is a fight that the world’s been craving.

“My name is already up there with the all-time greatest welterweight fighters. It’s just a matter of going out there on Saturday and putting the cherry on top and furthering my legacy.”

The grand arrivals also featured fighters competing on the pay-per-view telecast that begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will see hard-hitting contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz duel undefeated Giovanni Cabrera in a WBC and WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator that serves as the co-main event. The pay-per-view will also see future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire facing Mexican contender Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC Bantamweight World Championship, plus top prospect Yoenis Tellez takes on Spanish contender Sergio Garcia in the super welterweight telecast opener.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Man Down Promotions, TBC Promotions and TGB Promotions, are available through AXS.com.

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ABOUT SPENCE VS. CRAWFORD

Spence vs. Crawford will see unified WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth’’ Spence Jr. take on WBO 147-pound world champion Terence “Bud’’ Crawford for the Undisputed Welterweight World Championship on Saturday, July 29 in a highly anticipated SHOWTIME PPV clash from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The pay-per-view begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz facing unbeaten Giovanni Cabrera in a 12-round WBC and WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event, plus future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire battles Mexican contender Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC Bantamweight Title. Kicking off the telecast is top prospect Yoenis Tellez dueling Spanish contender Sergio Garcia in a 10-round super welterweight attraction.

For more information visit sho.com/ppv and www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #SpenceCrawford, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing and www.Facebook.com/premierboxingchampions/.

LAS VEGAS – July 25, 2023 – A historic collection of Fight Week activities is set to kick off as unified WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth’’ Spence Jr. and WBO 147-pound world champion Terence “Bud’’ Crawford make their Grand Arrivals to Las Vegas later today before they meet for the Undisputed Welterweight World Championship on Saturday, July 29 in a highly anticipated SHOWTIME PPV clash from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

As the two pound-for-pound stars finalize their fight week preparations ahead of one of the most significant title fights of all time, SHOWTIME SPORTS^® has assembled a treasure trove of news and notes to get ready for the biggest boxing event in recent memory.

THE FIGHT OF THE DECADE

Spence vs. Crawford, perhaps the most anticipated fight since Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao in 2015, will likely determine the sport’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter. The fight also carries career-defining, historical consequences:

• Spence vs. Crawford is the first undisputed welterweight championship fight in the four-belt era, which began in 1988.
• Spence vs. Crawford is only the fourth welterweight unification fight in boxing history between unbeaten champions. The other three:

  • Donald Curry (WBA, IBF) vs. Milton McCrory (WBA) in 1985
  • Felix Trinidad (IBF) vs. Oscar De La Hoya (WBC) in 1999
  • Keith Thurman (WBA) vs. Danny Garcia (WBC) in 2017

    • Spence vs. Crawford has the most combined wins between them (67-0).

• Should Crawford win, he’ll become the first male fighter in the four-belt era to become an undisputed champion in two different weight divisions (140 and 147-pounds).
• There have been only 12 other welterweight unification fights in boxing history.

FIGHT WEEK FESTIVITIES

The SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel will be home to live streaming coverage of all fight week events, including today’s Grand Arrivals, starting at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT, open media undercard workouts on Wednesday kicking off at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT with special appearances from Spence and Crawford, the final press conference Thursday at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT, the weigh-in on Friday at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT, and the post-fight press conference. Luke Thomas, co-host of the award-winning live digital talk show MORNING KOMBAT, renowned combat sports journalist Ariel Helwani and sports broadcaster Kate Abdo, who covers UEFA Champions League for CBS Sports and is a former PBC studio host, will serve as the hosts of Friday’s live-streamed weigh-in. The trio will also work the SHOWTIME PPV COUNTDOWN show on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT, which will include live coverage of preliminary bouts and analysis of the upcoming pay-per-view card.

WHERE TO CATCH ALL THE ACTION

The four-fight pay-per-view event kicks off at a special start time of 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and is widely available for purchase and live streaming in the United States at SHOWTIME.com/ppv and via the SHOWTIME app on supported devices including Apple iOS and tvOS devices, Android Mobile, AndroidTV, Roku, Amazon FireTV, Samsung Smart TV and LG Smart TV (2019 models and newer), Xbox One, Xfinity Flex, the Cox Wireless 4K Contour Stream Player and online at SHOWTIME.com and DAZN.com. The event is also available for purchase in the U.S. via satellite and telco systems through DIRECTV^®, DISH, Sling TV and Vubiquity.  The suggested retail price is $84.95 (SRP). In Canada, viewers can purchase and access the event via traditional cable and satellite distributors (Bell, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel/TELUS and FITE TV, a digital distributor). Liberty and Claro TV will offer the event in Puerto Rico. G&G Closed Circuit Events is the commercial distributor within the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada.

The official promotional spot, which offers a fiery sampling of the raw power and hostilities that will be on display on July 29, is available HERE.

THE INDUSTRY LEADERS

SHOWTIME SPORTS is in the middle of one of the hottest runs in the network’s 37-year history of televising live boxing. Since the start of 2023, the industry’s strongest schedule has included 20 marquee events that have been announced (including July 29) with three dates apiece in February, March, April, June and July. Spence vs. Crawford will mark the third of five live SHOWTIME Boxing events over the course of six weeks.

The schedule has included Fight of the Year contenders – Subriel Matias stopping Jeremias Ponce on February 25 and Brandon Figueroa decisioning Mark Magsayo on March 4. It has also included KO of the Year contenders – Brian Mendoza’s one-punch KO of Sebastian Fundora, Tim Tszyu’s left-hook KO of Carlos Ocampo and Jaron Ennis’ brutal finish of Roiman Villa. It has also included the biggest names in the sport facing each other, featuring Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia, David Benavídez vs. Caleb Plant and now Spence vs. Crawford, with more superstars to make their 2023 SHOWTIME debuts in the Fall.

AWARD-WINNING STORYTELLING

Two episodes of the EMMY^® Award-wining SHOWTIME original documentary series ALL ACCESS: SPENCE VS. CRAWFORD are available now on SHOWTIME, streaming on the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan, and on the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel for non-network subscribers. ALL ACCESS, which is voiced by Barry Pepper,sets the stage for the long-awaited showdown and outlines the stakes for both unbeaten champions and why this fight is so crucial to their legacies.

Episode One currently has 1.9 million views, while Episode Two has 1.5 million views on the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel alone.

The ALL ACCESS cameras will be in Las Vegas all week, filming ALL ACCESS: SPENCE VS. CRAWFORD EPILOGUE, which will premiere Saturday, August 5. The epilogue will spotlight the drama of fight week and provide an exclusive, first-hand account from fight night like no other show on television, revealing private moments between the fighters, their teams and loved ones.

WORKOUT WARRIORS

If last week’s media workouts are any indication, Spence and Crawford are both in fantastic shape, ready to engage in a battle of attrition if the fight goes into the later rounds. Spence and Crawford didn’t just move around the ring and smile for the cameras, they filled the time by training as if the media wasn’t in attendance, running through their paces and displaying the type of focus, stamina and skills that have made them two of the best and left them drenched in perspiration. Crawford’s workout last Wednesday was an exercise in efficiency as he trained for over an hour with few breaks while Spence’s session on Thursday showcased his incredible work-rate and physicality as he also trained for over an hour with both looking sharp and ready to do battle. 

A GENTLEMANLY AFFAIR

Ever since the fight was officially announced by both fighters on May 25 and they appeared on ESPN’s First Take the next morning, Spence and Crawford have remained consistent with their messages to each other and the public. They both have the upmost confidence in themselves, but they also share a mutual respect and deference that seems almost quaint and old-fashioned by today’s boastful standards. Rather than harp on the damage they plan to inflict on the other, the two have focused on the potential for their fight to become an instant classic, given their exciting styles, championship pedigrees and ultra-competitive mindsets.

“The proof is in the pudding. You see Terence Crawford and you see his body of work. You see my body of work when I get in the ring. Everybody already knows. As soon as I get in the ring, I’m stepping. I expect him to step too. We’re going to put on a great show and a great performance,” Spence told Stephen A. Smith.

“I can guarantee that everyone is gonna witness something special. Errol doesn’t like to back up. I’m the type of fighter where you push me and I push even harder. We both have big hearts and like to fight. It makes for a great action-packed fight. July 29 is gonna be a great night for boxing,” Crawford said when the two first met at the kickoff press conference in Los Angeles.

COMMON FOES

There are two common opponents on both Spence and Crawford’s resumes, former two-time welterweight champion Shawn Porter and former IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook.

Porter dropped a 2019 Fight of the Year to Spence, before losing the final fight of his career to Crawford in November 2021. Brook faced Spence in May 2017 as Spence traveled to the U.K. to capture his first career world title, while Brook came stateside to face Crawford in November 2020, losing by fourth-round TKO. Their dual perspectives on Saturday’s outcome conveyed the 50-50 nature of the matchup.

“I don’t have a pick. I don’t know who is going to win this fight. This is what boxing truly is. Both guys have basically everything needed to win, from power to speed. I truly don’t think anyone can look at this fight and say, ‘That guy is going to win,’ because there are so many outcomes and possibilities,” said Porter.

“I think Terence is a very sharp and snapping puncher and Errol has a more grinding and thumping kind of power. That’s the difference I see in the two. We’re talking about two star fighters and it’s going to come down to a very small margin and they’re going to have to bring every part of their game to get a victory,” said Brook.

HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO BET?

DraftKings, the official sportsbook sponsor of Spence vs. Crawford, views “Bud” as a slight favorite on Saturday night. He is currently listed as a -150 favorite, while “The Truth” is a +120 underdog. A $100 bet on Crawford would win $66.67 while a $100 bet on Spence would win $120.00.

The oddsmakers at DraftKings view the fight going into the later rounds as the most likely outcome. The odds for the fight to go over 10.5 rounds are -270 and the odds for the fight to go under 10.5 rounds are +190. For those who believe the fight will end via stoppage, the odds for Spence to win by KO/TKO/DQ are +500, while the odds for Crawford to win via the same method are +270.

THE A TEAM

Veteran sportscaster and “The Last Stand” podcaster Brian Custer will host the SHOWTIME PPV telecast while versatile combat sports voice Mauro Ranallo will once again handle the blow-by-blow action alongside Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and three-division world champion Abner Mares. The telecast will include Hall of Famers Jim Gray as ringside reporter and Jimmy Lennon, Jr., in his role as ring announcer. Sportscaster Alejandro Luna will call the action in Spanish on Secondary Audio Programming (SAP) with former world champion and SHOBOX: The New Generation commentator Raúl “El Diamante” Marquez serving as the expert analyst. Four-time Emmy^® Award winner David Dinkins, Jr. will executive-produce the telecast with Bob Dunphy directing.

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ABOUT SPENCE VS. CRAWFORD

Spence vs. Crawford will see unified WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth’’ Spence Jr. take on WBO 147-pound world champion Terence “Bud’’ Crawford for the Undisputed Welterweight World Championship on Saturday, July 29 in a highly anticipated SHOWTIME PPV clash from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The pay-per-view begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz facing unbeaten Giovanni Cabrera in a 12-round WBC and WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event, plus future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire battles Mexican contender Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC Bantamweight Title. Kicking off the telecast is top prospect Yoenis Tellez dueling Spanish contender Sergio Garcia in a 10-round super welterweight attraction.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Man Down Promotions, TBC Promotions and TGB Promotions, are available through AXS.com.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports and www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #SpenceCrawford, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing and www.Facebook.com/premierboxingchampions/.

LAS VEGAS – July 24, 2023 – Closed circuit tickets for the much-anticipated blockbuster showdown between undefeated boxing superstars Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and Terence “Bud” Crawford will go on sale TODAY at 10 a.m. PT ahead of their matchup on Saturday, July 29 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Tickets for the closed circuit telecast at the MGM Grand Garden Arena can be purchased at AXS.com.

Doors at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, the exclusive CCTV location for fans to watch Spence vs. Crawford on the Las Vegas Strip, will open at 4:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, July 29, with the pay-per-view telecast beginning at 5:00 p.m. PT.

#         #         #

ABOUT SPENCE VS. CRAWFORD

Spence vs. Crawford will see unified WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth’’ Spence Jr. take on WBO 147-pound world champion Terence “Bud’’ Crawford for the Undisputed Welterweight World Championship on Saturday, July 29 in a highly anticipated SHOWTIME PPV^® clash from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The pay-per-view begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz facing unbeaten Giovanni Cabrera in a 12-round WBC and WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event, plus future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire battles Mexican contender Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC Bantamweight Title. Kicking off the telecast is top prospect Yoenis Tellez dueling Spanish contender Sergio Garcia in a 10-round super welterweight attraction.

The event is promoted by Man Down Promotions, TBC Promotions and TGB Promotions.

For more information visit sho.com/ppv and www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #SpenceCrawford, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing and www.Facebook.com/premierboxingchampions/.

LAS VEGAS – July 21, 2023 – A stacked lineup of unbeaten prospects will enter the ring for the non-televised undercard of the Errol Spence Jr. vs. Terence Crawford event on Saturday, July 29 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The card will see lightweights Jabín Chollet and Michael Portales duel in a six-round bout, unbeaten prospects Justin Viloria and Pedro Borgaro battling in a six-round super featherweight fight, lightweight prospect Demler Zamora in an eight-round showdown against Nikolai Buzolin and welterweight power-puncher Kevin Ventura facing DeShawn Prather in a six-round attraction.

The event is topped by a four-fight SHOWTIME PPV lineup featuring WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and WBO Welterweight World Champion Terence “Bud” Crawford meeting to crown the first undisputed welterweight champion of the four-belt era.

The pay-per-view telecast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features Mexican fan-favorite Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz facing unbeaten Giovanni Cabrera in a 12-round WBC and WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event, plus future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire takes on Mexican contender Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC Bantamweight Title. The pay-per-view opens up with top prospect Yoenis Téllez dueling Spanish contender Sergio García in a 10-round super welterweight attraction.

Prior to the pay-per-view, live streaming action will begin at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT on the SHOWTIME SPORTS YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing^® Facebook page and see undefeated 168-pound contender Steven Nelson take on Rowdy Legend Montgomery in a 10-round showdown, plus Mexican super bantamweight prospect José Salas Reyes faces former world title challenger Aston Palicte in a 10-round bout.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Man Down Promotions, TBC Promotions and TGB Promotions, are available through AXS.com.

Fighting out of his native San Diego, Chollet (7-0, 6 KOs) went the distance for the first time as a pro the last time he entered the ring, scoring a shutout of Daniel Perales in May. The 21-year-old has already fought three times in 2023 and will step up in competition when he faces Hayward, California’s Portales (3-1-1, 1 KO). The 26-year-old Portales bounced back from his first career defeat, which took place in February, to earn a unanimous decision over Margarito Hernandez in April.

The 18-year-old Viloria (2-0, 2 KOs) turned pro in April and has delivered a pair of stoppages in each of his first two matchups. The Whittier, California-native most recently stopped Pedro Pinillo in four rounds in May. He’ll step in against the 18-year-old Borgaro (4-0, 2 KOs), who represents Sonora, Mexico and made a successful U.S. debut in July by stopping Martin Cardona in two rounds.

The 20-year-old Zamora (11-0, 9 KOs) turned pro in 2019 as a teenager and delivered knockouts in eight of his first nine matchups. The Las Vegas-native has fought in his hometown twice previously as a pro, including his most recent outing that saw him KO Jesus Ibarra in March. He will be opposed by the Brooklyn-based Buzolin (9-4-1, 5 KOs), who’s only defeats have come against previously unbeaten fighters. In his last fight, Buzolin knocked out Gonzalo Carlos Dallera in three rounds in July 2022.

A training partner of Terence Crawford, Ventura (11-0, 8 KOs) fights out of Omaha, Nebraska and will compete in Las Vegas for the first time as a pro on July 29. The 26-year-old returned to the ring off of a four-year layoff in September 2022, emerging victorious via unanimous decision over Gilbert Venegas. He will face the 25-year-old Prather (15-1, 2 KOs), who made a successful 2023 debut by earning a decision over Brandon Clark in February. The Kansas City, Missouri-native turned pro in May 2018 and is unbeaten since a one-point decision loss in his second pro fight.

#         #         #

ABOUT SPENCE VS. CRAWFORD

Spence vs. Crawford will see unified WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth’’ Spence Jr. take on WBO 147-pound world champion Terence “Bud’’ Crawford for the Undisputed Welterweight World Championship on Saturday, July 29 in a highly anticipated SHOWTIME PPV clash from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The pay-per-view begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz facing unbeaten Giovanni Cabrera in a 12-round WBC and WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event, plus future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire battles Mexican contender Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC Bantamweight Title. Kicking off the telecast is top prospect Yoenis Tellez dueling Spanish contender Sergio Garcia in a 10-round super welterweight attraction.

For more information visit sho.com/ppv and www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #SpenceCrawford, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing and www.Facebook.com/premierboxingchampions/.

By Norm Frauenheim –

Errol Spence calls it the strap season. Maybe, it is. Suddenly, title belts count for something more than just another sanctioning fee. These days, they even count as a new chapter.

It’s called the four-belt era. It’s a crowded one, a chapter that looks a little bit like a messy closet full of belts, one indistinguishable from the other.

WBC or WBA or IBF or WBO, it’s hard to know – or care — about the difference between the acronyms, which is reason enough to just hang them all on to one rhetorical hook.

That’s why there’s a strap season in Spence’s closet. He’s has questioned their value. Yet, their significance is there, perhaps now more than ever for his long-awaited welterweight showdown with Terence Crawford July 29 at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena in a Showtime pay-per-view bout.

It’s a chance to win all four for the first time in the fabled history of the 147-pound division. Maybe, just that will add some clarity to boxing messy proliferation of belts and weight classes during an era when there are almost more of both than there are prize fighters.

Then again, clarity in boxing is another way of saying clear as mud. There will be five-belt, six- belt and 12-belt eras if people keep paying the fees.

But Spence’s strap season is a pragmatic summation of an ever-chaotic game. Spence has long pursued legacy, despite the outrage last fall over news that talks with Crawford had failed.

“This is what I’ve always wanted,’’ he said Thursday before a media workout in Las Vegas. “It’s the only fight I’ve ever wanted.’’

I can confirm that. Four years ago – almost to the day, Spence appeared at a news conference with Shawn Porter before Manny Pacquiao’s victory over Keith Thurman at Vegas’ MGM Grand in July 2019.

After the newser, I saw Spence, standing alone behind a makeshift stage. I asked him about Crawford. He told me then that Crawford was the fight he wanted.

He promised it would happen.

Promise delivered.

But the path to that long-envisioned fight hasn’t been easy. Instead, there were times when it looked as if it just wouldn’t happen. There was Spence’s scary auto accident in Dallas in October 2019, not long after his narrow scorecard victory over Porter in Los Angeles.

He was out of the ring for more than a year. But, please, don’t say he was inactive, a word straight out of boxing’s fractured language. He was active all right, actively fighting for his life. Fourteen months later, he scored a unanimous decision over the accomplished Danny Garcia in front of a hometown crowd in Dallas.

Then, there was a date with Pacquiao in August 2021. But an eye injury forced him to withdraw. Spence was rushed into surgery for a torn retina in his left eye within two weeks of opening bell. His chance at adding a victory over one of history’s legends was denied. Late stand-in Yordenis Ugas went on to upset Pacquiao. Spence was left with only more questions

Still, he continued to pursue what he had envisioned. He beat Ugas, scoring a 10^th-round TKO for a third strap In April 2022. In retrospect, that was the strap that made the date with Crawford inevitable.

Crawford, too, is hunting straps. If he takes Spence’s three and adds them to his own, he’ll set some four-belt history. Crawford would become the first to win undisputed titles in two divisions. He was a four-belt champion at junior-welterweight.

“This fight is happening at the right time,’’ Crawford said at his media workout Wednesday, also in Vegas. “All the belts are on the line, so there’s even more to fight for. What better way to have this fight than to have it for the undisputed welterweight title?”

Crawford has been a slight favorite ever since the fight was announced. His quicksilver versatility, speed and ring IQ are just three reasons. Another reason, however, is the simple fact that Spence has answered only two opening bells – Garcia and Ugas — since the auto accident.

Spence trainer Derrick James was asked Thursday whether he was concerned about ring rust.

“He’s been training,’’ James said. “in between, he’s been sparring. In the fight itself, he’ll have to adjust to Terence’s speed. But that’ll happen over a few rounds.’’

There’s a theory that Spence might be able to break down Crawford with prolonged pressure. He’s bigger than Crawford. Presumably, he’s stronger, too. But there’s more.

A few weeks ago, there was a virtual media session with Porter, former welterweight champion Kell Brook and two respected trainers, Virgil Hunter and Stephen “Breadman’’ Edwards.

Spence’s auto accident was part of the discussion. Has he completely recovered? Are there lingering affects?

The insightful Edwards had his own take. He said he believed Spence had learned from the accident. He said he might be better because of it.

On July 29, Spence might prove to be the survivor.

Only a survivor figures to win this one, one of the best welterweight fights in any season. 

LAS VEGAS – July 20, 2023 – Undefeated WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. showed off his skills at a media workout in Las Vegas on Thursday as he nears his much anticipated showdown against WBO Welterweight World Champion Terence “Bud” Crawford which headlines a SHOWTIME PPV on Saturday, July 29 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The four-fight pay-per-view telecast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will see Spence look to complete his conquest of the welterweight division after first becoming world champion in 2017, before adding 147-pound world titles in 2019 and 2022. The winner between Spence and Crawford will hold the distinction as the first undisputed welterweight champion of the four-belt era and likely emerge as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Man Down Promotions, TBC Promotions and TGB Promotions, are available through AXS.com.

Here is what Spence, along with his esteemed trainer Derrick James, had to say Thursday:

ERROL SPENCE JR.

“This is what I’ve worked for my whole career. I want to be that undisputed welterweight champion of the world and I’m excited to go up against a great opponent like Terence Crawford to accomplish that.

“I’ve been fighting the best for a long time. When you see all the legends of the sport, they fought each other and made historic fights. That’s what I want to do. Terence is one of the best fighters in the world and I’m one of the best fighters in the world, so we had to make this happen.

“It’s definitely business as usual, but we’ve still amped up the training because of the opponent I’m facing. Terence can really fight and I believe that we’re gonna put on a great show and a great performance.

“I’m not worried about being the underdog. People can say what they say and have their opinions. I just have to go prove them wrong.

“I’ve been feeling the buzz for this fight. Anywhere I go they’ve been asking me about this fight. I knew I had to make it happen. This is what everyone wanted. We have to prove who the man is in the welterweight division and in boxing. The winner of this fight is the best fighter in boxing period.

“Every belt I’ve gotten I’ve taken from somebody. I beat champion after champion. I’m going through the ringer fighting the best guys in my division. There’s a big difference between facing a champion and someone without a belt. The guys with the belts have a lot more to fight for.

“I don’t know how much the size will factor into the fight until we get into the ring. They say he’s a strong guy and we’ll see next week.

“Everybody make sure you tune into this fight. It’s gonna be an amazing fight. This fight is gonna be a war of attrition. It’s a guts and glory type of fight.

“I don’t think there’s anyone I fought who’s similar to Terence Crawford. His style is different from anybody else. I don’t think Sugar Ray Leonard fought anyone like Tommy Hearns until he fought Tommy, and vice versa. That’s what happens in these historic fights.”

DERRICK JAMES, Spence’s Trainer

“This means everything. From the moment Errol turned pro, he said what he wanted to do. There were so many steps he had to take to get to this point, and now there’s just one more step to take. Being undisputed champion is everything he wanted.

“Our goal is to be able to push like we push in every fight. We’re going to use everything we’ve used to be successful throughout Errol’s career. It’s up to Terence if he can step to that.

“We’ve been training and sparring a lot since Errol last fought, so it’s not like he hasn’t been in the ring. He’ll just have to adjust to Terence’s timing in the fight. It might take a couple of rounds, but once he figures it out, he can do everything he has to do.

“I’m my greatest competition. I’m not worried about who’s in the other corner. It could be anybody. My focus on being who I am every day leading up to the fight and continuing to compete with myself.

“The perfect performance is a victory. I don’t care how he gets it, it’s just that he gets it. That’s what we’re working for.”

#         #         #

ABOUT SPENCE VS. CRAWFORD

Spence vs. Crawford will see unified WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth’’ Spence Jr. take on WBO 147-pound world champion Terence “Bud’’ Crawford for the Undisputed Welterweight World Championship on Saturday, July 29 in a highly anticipated SHOWTIME PPV clash from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The pay-per-view begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz facing unbeaten Giovanni Cabrera in a 12-round WBC and WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event, plus future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire battles Mexican contender Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC Bantamweight Title. Kicking off the telecast is top prospect Yoenis Tellez dueling Spanish contender Sergio Garcia in a 10-round super welterweight attraction.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports and www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #SpenceCrawford, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing and www.Facebook.com/premierboxingchampions/.

LAS VEGAS – July 19, 2023 – Undefeated WBO Welterweight World Champion Terence “Bud” Crawford held his media workout in Las Vegas on Wednesday as the three-division champion prepares to take on unified WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. headlining a SHOWTIME PPV on Saturday, July 29 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The four-fight pay-per-view telecast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will see Crawford look to become the first male boxer to become undisputed in two weight classes. The winner between Spence and Crawford will hold the distinction as the first undisputed welterweight champion of the four-belt era and likely emerge as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Man Down Promotions, TBC Promotions and TGB Promotions, are available through AXS.com.

Here is what Crawford had to say Wednesday prior to an extensive workout, along with comments from his trainer Brian “Bo Mac” McIntyre:

TERENCE CRAWFORD

“This fight means everything. This puts the cherry on top of my career. I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time and I can’t wait to get it on.

“We’re here in Las Vegas early to get used to the atmosphere and the heat. Come fight night, we’re gonna be 110% prepared. We’re adjusting well.

“The welterweight division has had a lot of great fights in the past and this will be another one next Saturday. There’s a bright future for the division as well with a lot of great talent coming up. It’s still a hotbed for the sport.

“I’m just here to win the fight. We’re both prizefighters and I don’t worry about any plans he’s making for after this fight. I don’t think about a knockout, I just think about getting the victory and that’s what I’m gonna do next Saturday.

“I think I could beat anybody at any sport. That’s just my nature. I play to win. If I’m gonna challenge you, I’m coming to win and I believe that wholeheartedly. That could be anybody. Even if I’m playing Michael Jordan in one-on-one.

“He thinks he’s gonna bulldoze me and break me, but he’s gonna have to show me. All of that talk is fuel to the fire that’s already burning. He’s gonna have to prove everything that he’s saying come fight night.

“This fight is happening at the right time. All the belts are on the line, so there’s even more to fight for. What better way to have this fight than to have it for the undisputed welterweight title?”

BRIAN “BO MAC” MCINTYRE, Crawford’s Trainer

“This is the fight to shut the haters and non-believers up. It’s the icing on the cake for one hell of a career.

“You have to be dialed-in when you’re going up against a fighter like Errol Spence Jr., with a trainer like Derrick James. We want to keep the outcome in our hands by putting on a dominant performance.

“It’s not just another day at the office, but this is something that we live, eat, sleep, think. That’s how we got to this point. We know what it takes and we’re right back at it.

“This is one of the best fights to be made this century, with both guys being undefeated and with everything Terence accomplished. It means a lot and I’m expecting a lot of fireworks.

“Don’t miss this pay-per-view. As long as Errol Spence Jr. brings his ‘A-game’, you’re gonna see one of the best performances ever out of Terence Crawford. I pray that we get the best Errol Spence Jr., because there’s a better Terence Crawford to be seen.”

#         #         #

ABOUT SPENCE VS. CRAWFORD

Spence vs. Crawford will see unified WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth’’ Spence Jr. take on WBO 147-pound world champion Terence “Bud’’ Crawford for the Undisputed Welterweight World Championship on Saturday, July 29 in a highly anticipated SHOWTIME PPV clash from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The pay-per-view begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz facing unbeaten Giovanni Cabrera in a 12-round WBC and WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event, plus future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire battles Mexican contender Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC Bantamweight Title. Kicking off the telecast is top prospect Yoenis Tellez dueling Spanish contender Sergio Garcia in a 10-round super welterweight attraction.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports and www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #SpenceCrawford, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing and www.Facebook.com/premierboxingchampions/.

LAS VEGAS – July 19, 2023 – A pair of showdowns featuring an unbeaten super middleweight contender and a rising super bantamweight prospect will enter the ring on the SHOWTIME PPV COUNTDOWN SHOW on Saturday, July 29 leading up to the much-anticipated Errol Spence Jr. vs. Terence Crawford SHOWTIME PPV taking place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

Undefeated 168-pound contender Steven Nelson will top the lineup as he takes on Rowdy Montgomery in a 10-round showdown, plus Mexican super bantamweight prospect Jose Salas Reyes competes in a 10-round attraction against former world title challenger Aston Palicte opening up the live stream at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT on the SHOWTIME SPORTS YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing^® Facebook page.

The show will be hosted by award-winning MORNING KOMBAT live digital talk show co-host Luke Thomas, who will be accompanied by a pair of special guests. Sports broadcaster Kate Abdo, who covers UEFA Champions League for CBS Sports and is a former PBC studio host, and Ariel Helwani, renowned combat sports journalist and SHOWTIME Basketball podcast host, will both join Thomas in what should be a memorable night of streaming.  

These fights lead into a four-fight pay-per-view telecast beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT headlined by WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and WBO Welterweight World Champion Terence “Bud” Crawford meeting to crown the first undisputed welterweight champion of the four-belt era.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Man Down Promotions, TBC Promotions and TGB Promotions, are available through AXS.com.

Nelson (18-0, 15 KOs) is an Omaha, Nebraska native and longtime training partner of Terence Crawford who will look to keep his unblemished pro record intact on July 29. The 35-year-old turned pro in 2016 after an accomplished amateur career and most recently fought on Crawford’s undercard in December 2022. That outing saw Nelson shake off the rust from a nearly two-year layoff to KO James Ballard in round one. He will be opposed by the Victorville, California-native Montgomery (10-4-1, 7 KOs), who enters this fight on a three-bout winning streak. Montgomery’s last defeat came via decision against rising middleweight sensation Elijah Garcia in May 2022.

A 21-year-old who turned pro in November 2020, Reyes (12-0, 9 KOs) carried an eight-fight KO streak into his U.S. debut this April. That outing saw the Tijuana, Mexico-native earn a shutout 10-round unanimous decision victory over the previously unbeaten Prince Dzanie. He will face the Bago City, Philippines born Alicte (28-5-1, 23 KOs), who has twice vied for the super flyweight world championship, including a split-draw for the vacant belt in a 2018 matchup against Donnie Nietes. Alicte would later drop a 2019 title fight against Kazuto Ioka and most recently had a three-bout winning streak snapped when he lost to current bantamweight world champion Jason Moloney in June 2022.

#         #         #

ABOUT SPENCE VS. CRAWFORD

Spence vs. Crawford will see unified WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth’’ Spence Jr. take on WBO 147-pound world champion Terence “Bud’’ Crawford for the Undisputed Welterweight World Championship on Saturday, July 29 in a highly anticipated SHOWTIME PPV clash from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The pay-per-view begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz facing unbeaten Giovanni Cabrera in a 12-round WBC and WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event, plus future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire battles Mexican contender Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC Bantamweight Title. Kicking off the telecast is top prospect Yoenis Tellez dueling Spanish contender Sergio Garcia in a 10-round super welterweight attraction.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports and www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #SpenceCrawford, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing and www.Facebook.com/premierboxingchampions/.

LAS VEGAS – July 18, 2023 – Top lightweight contender and Mexico City-native Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz has vowed to make his country proud and solidify his status in the star-studded 135-pound division when he faces unbeaten Giovanni Cabrera in a WBC and WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator that serves as the Errol Spence Jr. vs. Terence Crawford co-main event live on SHOWTIME PPV Saturday, July 29 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“I am ready to put Mexico on top once again and show that I am meant to go up against the best,” said Cruz. “I’m making sure that I’m working harder and smarter and making the most of everything I do in the gym. It’s not just about how hard you hit, you gotta be smart and have your punches connect in the way that you meant them to land all along.

“It may sound cliche, but it truly is about dedication, hard work and discipline. Being just a regular fighter is taking the easy way out. Saying no to a glass of water or to being with friends is hard. What we do is beautiful, but it’s hard. If you want to be an elite athlete, you have to learn how to live with sacrifice.”

Coming from a family full of professional boxers, including his father and grandfather, Cruz is no secret to the sacrifices his chosen profession requires at the highest level. Although he laments the time missed with his wife and children, it acts as motivation for him to perform at his best.

“The hardest thing I ever had to do was that I had to tell my wife and kids ‘today, I can’t take you for ice cream,’” said Cruz. “I’m fortunate that I train close to them, but I still miss a lot. At the end of the day, it only makes it more important that I make the most of these sacrifices and fight to my full ability. I fight at my best because of the love and support I receive from my family.”

The 25-year-old Cruz has become a fan-favorite amongst the passionate Mexican fans due to his all-action style that calls back to many of boxing’s most memorable Mexican champions and contenders. Although he’s competed at lightweight throughout his career that dates back to 2015, he has no plans of leaving the division and hopes to continue to develop his relationship with fans against the weight class’s other stars.

“I’m totally focused on staying at 135-pounds because it’s where I feel strongest and most comfortable,” said Cruz. “I just want to give everyone watching a great show. I’ve made a connection with the fans because I showed that I’m not afraid to fight the best. I have no fear, just resolve.”

Since giving unbeaten boxing superstar Gervonta “Tank” Davis perhaps the toughest test of his career in their December 2021 clash, Cruz has set his sights on a blockbuster rematch against the WBA Lightweight Title holder. However, his plans are set beyond just Davis, with eyes on clearing out the entire division before settling a grudge match against Ryan Garcia.

“I want the American fans to know me as well as the Mexican fans, so I have to go up against the very best,” said Cruz. “First, I want that rematch with Gervonta Davis no matter what. After that, I want to face Devin Haney and Vasyl Lomachenko. Then I’d like to face another contender in this division, and finally move up and take out Ryan Garcia.”

#         #         #

ABOUT SPENCE VS. CRAWFORD

Spence vs. Crawford will see unified WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth’’ Spence Jr. take on WBO 147-pound world champion Terence “Bud’’ Crawford for the Undisputed Welterweight World Championship on Saturday, July 29 in a highly anticipated SHOWTIME PPV clash from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The pay-per-view begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz facing unbeaten Giovanni Cabrera in a 12-round WBC and WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event, plus future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire battles Mexican contender Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC Bantamweight Title. Kicking off the telecast is top prospect Yoenis Tellez dueling Spanish contender Sergio Garcia in a 10-round super welterweight attraction.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Man Down Promotions, TBC Promotions and TGB Promotions, are available through AXS.com.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports and www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #SpenceCrawford, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing and www.Facebook.com/premierboxingchampions/.

By Norm Frauenheim –

It’s an unlikely partnership in an unforgiving business for blood and bucks. Maybe some legacy, too. Mostly, it’s still a surprise, an opening bell few expected to ever hear.

Yet, Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. are moving closer to their July 29 pay-per-view date, a welterweight bout as intriguing as any in years.

It’s no secret that stakes are enormous for both fighters and a battered business. The real impact hinges on what happens in the long-awaited Showtime bout at Las Vegas T-Mobile Arena.

Narrow odds continue to slightly favor Crawford. But bet on just about anything in a fight few foresaw in the wake of failed negotiations and a lot of finger-pointing.

That’s all gone. At least, there was no rancor apparent in the last appearance of Crawford and Spence in a virtual news conference Wednesday.

They were businessmen – Crawford talking in a measured, unemotional tone and Spence wearing fashionable glasses that made him look like a CEO in command of a corporate board room.

For now, mutual respect is evident. There were rhetorical shots, but only at pundits and social media’s noisy army. In a trash-talking game, however, respect doesn’t do much for ticket sales.

The April 22nd box-office and Pay-Per-View success (1.2 million buys) of Tank Davis-versus-Ryan Garcia was proof of that. The talk was better than the fight – Davis, a TKO winner over Garcia, who has more words than skills.

As of Friday, Crawford-Spence tickets were still available in every category for a fight announced on May 22. Early sales were reportedly brisk, but most of the tickets – priced from $519 to $2,000 — went to brokers, who are betting that interest in Crawford-Spence will heat up.

Guess here, it will. But there might be lingering skepticism from fans, especially the casual crowd which hasn’t forgotten the abortive talks last fall. Negotiations were an on-again, off-again roller coaster. Misleading and often inaccurate reports from the media didn’t help.

Repeatedly, you could hear fans and pundits say they’d believe it only when both are gloved up, in the ring and echoes of an opening bell fill the arena.

Fair enough. But believe it. This one is on the horizon, approaching like a summer storm.

From this corner, it’s refreshing not to hear, ad nauseam, the trash talk. Spence and Crawford respect each other for documented reasons. They’re both unbeaten and both accomplished in ways that Ryan Garcia was not.

Trash talk is language used by the frightened or the foolish. Crawford and Spence are neither. Crawford, pragmatic and always edgy, summed up the build-up to July 29.

Yes, he said, there’s mutual respect. Yes, he said, Spence is an important business partner at this, a late stage in Crawford’s brilliant career. But don’t be misled, he said.

“We’re not friends on fight night, absolutely,’’ Crawford said. “I’m friends with Shawn Porter. You saw what happened. I knocked him out (10^th-round TKO, September 2021).

“I’m friends with Ray Beltran. You saw what happened. I beat him (unanimous decision, November 2014).

“I’m not friends on fight night with somebody who is there to do whatever to take me down, take my life.’’

That’s business.

Crawford-Spence undercard update

Emerging Jesus Ramos Jr, an unbeaten junior-middleweight from Casa Grande AZ and probably the best prospect from Arizona since David Benavidez, withdrew from the undercard because of a hand injury. He was scheduled to fight Sergio Garcia.

With the withdrawal, Nonito Donaire-versus-Alexandro Santiago was added to the card. It had been scheduled for July 15. Donaire and Santiago will fight for a vacant bantamweight title.

Meanwhile, Garcia stays on the card in a fight against prospect Yoenis Tellez instead of Ramos.