Spence-Crawford: Officially official

Undisputed welterweight championship fight formally set for July 29

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Six days after Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford announced to the world via social media that they would finally fight for the undisputed welterweight championship in a mega fight five years in the making, TGB Promotions, Premier Boxing Champions and Showtime made it official on Wednesday.

Spence will put the WBC, WBA and IBF titles on the line against WBO titleholder Crawford on July 29 (Showtime PPV) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in one of the most anticipated and historically significant fights in years.

The winner likely will be universally recognized as the pound-for-pound king and will become the first undisputed 147-pound world champion of the four-belt era. The winner will become the first undisputed champion in the division in 20 years, since Cory Spinks outpointed Ricardo Mayorga to unify the division during the three-belt era in 2003.

Crawford has the chance to become the first male boxer of the four-belt era to be an undisputed champion in two weight classes. He fully unified the junior welterweight division in 2018 by knocking out then-undefeated Julius Indongo in the third round before vacating to move up in weight, immediately igniting anticipation for a showdown with Spence that is finally set after multiple arduous negotiations filled with ups and downs for the past few years.

“I’m truly excited to be a part of the biggest fight in boxing and the best welterweight matchup of the century,” said Spence, who insisted that his team continue to negotiate with Crawford even after talks fell apart late last year and all appeared to be lost. “Terence Crawford is a great fighter and our styles are going to make for a great fight. I told him and the world what I was going to do after I captured my first welterweight title and it’s been strap season ever since.

“On July 29, I’m going to put on a tremendous performance and become the undisputed king of the welterweight division. This is truly going to be a night to remember, one where history is made, and I want everyone to be a part of it.”

Spence (28-0, 22 KOs), 33, of DeSoto, Texas, and Crawford (39-0, 30 KOs), 35, of Omaha, who will each be making their seventh title defense, spent time talking directly to each other in recent months in an effort to hash out aspects of the deal for the 13th welterweight unification fight in history and the fifth for the undisputed crown.

“The fans and I have both wanted this fight for years and now it is finally happening,” Crawford said. “This truly is a once in a generation fight, so come out to T-Mobile Arena or tune in to Showtime PPV for the biggest fight in boxing. On July 29, I look forward to making history and becoming two-time undisputed champion of the world.”

‘Our styles are going to make for a great fight,’ — Spence

‘This truly is a once in a generation fight,’ — Crawford

There will be a two-fight media tour to promote the fight with stops in Los Angeles and New York, probably next week, sources with knowledge of the plans told Fight Freaks Unite.

Some past welterweight unification fights have been among most significant bouts in boxing history. Spence-Crawford — both undefeated champions universally ranked among the top five pound-for-pound — will a join a list that includes Sugar Ray Leonard-Thomas Hearns I, Felix Trinidad-Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao, which set every boxing revenue record in 2015.

“This is an undeniably historic matchup taking place on July 29 because the winner of this fight will go down as the greatest welterweight of this era,” TGB Promotions president Tom Brown said. “On top of being for undisputed status, and in addition to pitting two of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport against each other, Spence versus Crawford is an electric style matchup that has captured the imagination of fans everywhere. Boxing’s premier division will have a definitive No. 1 when the dust settles.”

Along with the fighters, PBC boss Al Haymon and Brown, Showtime Sports president Stephen Espinoza has spent months trying to get the deal done and he couldn’t be happier that the fight is finally on.

“Spence versus Crawford is the type of matchup that will demonstrate boxing’s enduring popularity — a marquee event to bring the sports world to a halt with all eyes on the center of the ring in Las Vegas,” Espinoza said. “This fight will be talked about alongside all of the legendary welterweight and undisputed world title bouts throughout history.”

Ticket information

• Pre-sale begins via AXS on Thursday (1 p.m. though 1 a.m.). Use the code “Boxing.”

• Public sale begins Friday at 1 p.m. ET.

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