It took a private phone call between Errol Spence Jnr and Terence Crawford to by-pass their armies of advisors and hordes of hangers-on so as to set up their fight in Las Vegas this Saturday night which is being trumpeted as the salvation of boxing.
Both these undefeated pugilists were as fed up as the fans with the years of waiting for one of the prize-ring’s more meaningful showdowns.
So, borrowing the catch-phrase with which the late and legendary referee Mills Lane called all his combatants to action, they told each other: ‘Let’s get it on.’
Hallelujah. Whether or not Spence The Truth or plain ol’ Bud Crawford can live up to the extravagant hype, at the very least this one is not going the way of so many potentially great fights which never happened.
Just in time. Well, hopefully.
Errol Spence Jr and Terrance Crawford clash for the welterweight championship on Saturday
The highly anticipated clash is being looked at as a fight that could be the saviour of boxing
This is being acclaimed as a return to the golden age when Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran fought each other multiple times on epic nights of high drama and vaulting skills.
Steady on. Those genius icons mostly came together during their glorious pomp. Spence and Crawford, welcome though this throwback fight is in today’s context, appear to be a fraction past their prime.
Spence, although two years the younger at 31, has been through the near-fatal trauma of a high-speed crash in which his flash car ended up resembling a crumpled coke can. That, followed by major eye surgery.
Is the rehabilitation complete?
Crawford, having been matched so protectively through most of his longer career, actually has less experience of seriously challenging competition. As a consequence, of late, he has appeared to be slowing down slightly and a mite less mobile.
Can the enormity of this occasion, complete with the prize of becoming the first undisputed world welterweight champion of the four-belt era ,fully recharge those batteries?
If both are a tad diminished, in equal parts, this should still make for a classic clash of styles.
Spence the natural welterweight is certainly the bigger and perhaps the stronger. The heaviest hitter, too, as his unblemished record bears witness with 22 knock-outs in 28 straight wins.
Crawford, a champion first at lightweight and then undisputed at light-welter, has ridden his more polished craftsmanship on his undefeated ascent through three divisions.
Spence has battled back from a near-fatal car crash and major eye surgery to get to this bout
Crawford could become the first undisputed world welterweight champion of the four-belt era
Both are aware of all that is at stake. Even though the promotional banter when they came face-to-face at the New York press launch was more childish than profound.
Spence, the WBC, WBA and IBF champion whose alternative nickname is The Big Fish, warned Bud:
‘I’m gonna open my jaws and eat you alive.’ Said Crawford, holder of the WBO title: ‘Little fish, I’m gonna gut you and fillet you.’
They did interrupt those inanities to acknowledge their responsibilities to the sport which has enriched them. Spence: ‘This is the fight boxing needs.’ Crawford: ‘This is the fight everyone’s been waiting for.’
The Las Vegas bookmakers marginally favour the Bud of all the skills, which includes the dexterity with which he switches smoothly from orthodox to southpaw.
Crawford may have the more rarefied ring intelligence but boxing comes down at least as much to raw guts.
Spence, somewhat worryingly for the one who has been in the more head-banging exchanges, has sounded the less coherent during their verbal exchanges.
Crawford may have the more rarified ring intelligence but boxing comes down to raw guts
Gut instinct says that punching power will over come purity and Spence will win with a late KO
Nevertheless, my gut instinct is that punching power will overcome sweet purity. With a late KO by Spence.
As for the future of boxing, the probable truth is that it can only be saved from itself by the coronation of an undisputed heavyweight champion.
Sooner rather than later Tyson Fury and Olexsandr Usyk, let’s get it on.
Spence Jr v Crawford will be televised late this Saturday night on the new TNT Sports Box Office channel.