The long-awaited four belt welterweight unification bout between WBC, WBA and IBF champion Errol ‘The Truth’ Spence Jr 28-0 (22) and WBO counterpart Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford 38-0 (29) has been nixed after the two sides could not come to terms.
Accusations have been flying both ways as to who was to blame for negotiations breaking down.
“I’m excited about this opportunity,” Crawford told ESPN. “I was really looking forward to the Errol Spence fight. I started communicating with Al Haymon and PBC back in June. And unfortunately, they represent a fighter in Errol Spence who didn’t want the fight as bad as I did.
“I agreed to all of their bullshit and they’ve been dragging their ass for months. Spence was nowhere to be found while I was trying to make the deal. I explained to Al Haymon and Errol that I was going to fight before the end of the year.”
Career welterweight Spence, 32, from Desoto, Texas, has flagged a move up in weight after the fight couldn’t be made.
“I got to talk to my manager but I already told them I’m at this weight too long. I might be moving up I don’t know. I might be moving up,” the southpaw said.
“[Crawford] been stalling for months I could’ve fought in November … Been fighting at this weight for over a decade this shit ain’t easy or fun.”
Crawford will now face European welterweight champion David Avanesyan 29-3-1 (17) instead at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska on December 10.
“David Avanesyan is a very tough task,” switch-hitter Crawford said. “He’s knocked out his last six opponents and this guy is dangerous. Once I’m successful against Avanesyan, my plan is still the same – whoop Errol Spence’s ass.”
Spence was less than impressed by Crawford’s decision to go another route.
“I don’t know who [Avanesyan] is,” Spence told the Dallas Morning News.
“I’ve done everything that I said I was going to do and I’ll fight him next and we’ll see who is holding the fight up. Everybody sees now who is holding the fight up. He had this [fight against Avanesyan] I guess in his back pocket.”