Boxing fans have waited for a massive fight that’s too late in arriving far too often. They’re in danger of experiencing that yet again when it comes to Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford.
Last night, Crawford fought a game David Avanesyan for six rounds until the WBO Welterweight champion decided he had enough and fed Avanesyan a devastating right hand that sent the challenger to the canvas for the night.
Crawford’s right hand was so lightning fast that most missed it until the replays were shown.
But the knockout wasn’t the wildest part of the night.
To me, it was the fact that the Omaha native delivered most of his punishing punches, including the knockout punch, with his right hand.
And he’s a southpaw!
Crawford’s right hooks to Avanesyan’s body wore him down each round, and he complemented them with enough lefts that the challenger looked hurt and bewildered. It was almost as if he didn’t know what punch was coming until his kidneys got blasted by powerful a right hook.
While most give Avanesyan props for hanging with Crawford for six rounds, to me it felt like Crawford had adopted the Floyd Mayweather strategy of fighting.
Sell out the area, give the fans enough to stay engaged and interested in the fight and then end it about halfway through so no one feels like they wasted their money.
Last night, it worked to perfection in front of a packed house in his hometown of Omaha, NE.
Crawford now sits at 39-0 with 30 KOs. A stellar record for one of the best in the game.
Yet boxing fans don’t really care because they’re only interested in one fight.
Errol Spence Jr. vs Terence Crawford.
Continue reading over at First and Pen.
This content has been brought to you by First and Pen in partnership with TheHub.News. First and Pen “amplifies local sports stories from voices of color to the national conscience…”
