Kell Brook and Shawn Porter preview Spence-Crawford
Former Welterweight Champions Discuss Errol Spence Jr. vs Terence Crawford Undisputed Welterweight Championship Clash
As fight week nears for the long-anticipated Errol Spence Jr. vs Terence Crawford SHOWTIME PPV clash, former champions and common Spence and Crawford opponents Shawn Porter and Kell Brook both previewed the matchup during a virtual media roundtable before the unbeaten welterweight kings meet on Saturday, July 29 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Fellow American Porter dropped a 2019 Fight of the Year to Spence, before losing the final fight of his career to Crawford in November 2021.
Briton Brook faced Spence in May 2017 as Spence traveled to the UK to capture his first career world title, while 'Special K' came stateside to face Crawford in November 2020, losing by fourth-round TKO.
Here is what Brook and Porter had to say on Thursday:
KELL BROOK
Former Welterweight World Champion
“I’m very excited for this fight and everyone is talking about this fight. It’s a massive fight and for No. 1. I actually put both these guys up as pound-for-pound in all the divisions. and they’re going to go after it.
“Errol Spence is a very big welterweight, a natural southpaw. He’s big and strong and goes to the body good. His IQ is very high in the ring.
“Terence Crawford can box. He’s a sharpshooter with his punches and a very good finisher. He’s going to need every game plan in this fight. This is a real test.
“I put up guys like Errol, Crawford, Shawn Porter and Golovkin who I’ve been in there with who just have that aura around them. They have that X-factor. It’s the small margins that will decide this fight. It will come down to who has prepared the best. This is the real test for No. 1 in the division and we’re going to get some toe-to-toe action.
“I think Errol brings calculated pressure and will go to the body. He will be the bigger guy in the fight. Crawford has to be sharp and use the entire ring and pick his shots at the right time and make Spence work when he doesn’t want to work. He has to be very clever and get the rounds and break him down over the fight.
“I think inactivity can be an issue and it’s mental for Errol, who might question his inactivity. Time will tell.
“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.”
SHAWN PORTER
Former Two-Time Welterweight Champion
“I’m excited. I was at church last night and they were talking about this fight. This is the biggest fight and I’m excited about it.
“The one narrative is Terence Crawford can do more things in the ring. He has more tools in his toolbox. Errol Spence is the most fundamentally sound boxer in the world. We have never been able to see him pull out everything that he has. Terence has been in the ring with guys who have done different things. From an X’s and O’s standpoint, it’s all a matter of, ‘What are you going to do this round?’ Both fighters have the ability to make adjustments, be aggressive, fight off the back foot, and counterpunch. This is an outstanding fight because they both have an A+ in every box. We are going to see three different strategies from each fighter, maybe even four or five different game plans. Both of these guys have to have both in order to win the fight.
“The calculated pressure from Errol has to be something that he sustains for the entire fight. He needs to continue putting on the pressure and body punching. If you’re Terence Crawford, you have to get to Errol’s body and make him uncomfortable. Errol has a really tight defense and keeps his hands at home. If he’s not punching, his hands are up. With a guy like that, you have to find openings. Those openings are usually there when that punch is being released. Punch when he’s punching. Be accurate and be that sharpshooter. We’re not saying anything that either of these fighters can’t do. That is why this is such a great fight. It’s hard to find the timing, it’s hard to find the distance. It’s hard to be confident and do it. It’s going to be a great fight.
“If Terence is able to be comfortable and manage his energy, we have to start talking about him in the same breath as Manny Pacquiao, Andre Ward, and Floyd Mayweather. With this fight, you can’t measure another fighter’s energy or mentality through the fight. Terence never got uncomfortable in his fight against me. He never showed me that there was anything unsettled within his heart or mind. I pride myself on making fighters uncomfortable. Never once did I see Terence uncomfortable. I didn’t apply the kind of pressure that Errol is going to apply. That may have been the reason why I didn’t see Terence uncomfortable.
“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. One thing we know that’s not going to happen is that there won‘t be any foul play, any low blows. There is not going to be any head butts that would end this fight prematurely. The fans win. Boxing purists especially win.”
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