After nearly three years away from the ring, Errol Spence Jr. is finally ready to begin the next chapter of his career. Before stepping into the ring against former WBO junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu on Saturday in Sydney, Australia, Spence addressed one of the biggest lingering questions in boxing: Why didn’t he pursue an immediate rematch with Terence Crawford after losing their undisputed welterweight championship showdown in 2023?
The answer, according to Spence, was simple. He wasn’t physically ready.
Spence entered his July 2023 clash with Crawford as an undefeated unified welterweight champion in what many considered a true 50-50 superfight.
Instead, Crawford delivered one of the most dominant performances in modern boxing history.
“Crawford dropped Spence three times before stopping him in the ninth round, becoming the undisputed welterweight champion.”
Although Spence exercised the contractual rematch clause following the loss, the second fight never materialized.
Speaking with Fight Hub TV, Spence explained why.
“When was the rematch gonna be? Within a year? I wouldn’t have been ready, so how would I take a rematch if I’m not gonna be ready?”
Rather than rushing back into another championship fight, Spence chose to focus on recovering physically and mentally after suffering the first defeat of his professional career.
Crawford Moved On
While Spence remained sidelined, Crawford continued adding to his legacy. After the rematch clause expired, Crawford vacated his four welterweight world titles and moved to junior middleweight, where he captured another championship by defeating Israel Madrimov.
He later jumped to the super middleweight division, defeated Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in one of the biggest victories of his career, and subsequently announced his retirement from boxing.
With Crawford retired, any hopes of the long-discussed rematch have effectively come to an end.
A New Opportunity Against Tim Tszyu
Now, Spence (28-1, 22 KOs) returns for the first time since the Crawford defeat when he faces Tim Tszyu in a 12-round clash Saturday at Afterpay Arena in Sydney.
The matchup pits two former world champions looking to revive their careers. Tszyu (27-3, 18 KOs) is also attempting to regain his footing after consecutive stoppage losses to Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev before bouncing back with two straight victories.
For both fighters, Saturday’s bout represents far more than another payday. It’s an opportunity to prove they remain among boxing’s elite.
A Career Crossroads
For Spence, the fight against Tszyu marks the beginning of what he hopes will be another championship run. The former IBF, WBA, and WBC welterweight champion has spent years answering questions about whether he would ever return following the brutal loss to Crawford.
Now, he’ll finally have the chance to answer those questions inside the ring. While fans may never see the long-awaited Crawford rematch, Spence insists there was never a realistic path to making it happen. Which is true because he was traumatized from the beating that he suffered against Crawford, no matter any way he tried to spin it.
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Robert LaMar is a Deputy Editor for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
