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Terence Crawford on facing Errol Spence Jr next.: 'I'm going straight into it'
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WBO world welterweight champion Terence Crawford wants to avoid a tune-up fight and go straight into an undisputed clash with WBA, WBC and IBF champion Errol Spence Jr.
Following Spence's victory over Yordenis Ugas last month, a fight with Crawford is the next logical step and with the WBO title holder now a promotional free agent, this much anticipated contest is close to happening.
Speaking to ESPN's Mike Coppinger, Crawford said now is the 'perfect' time for the two welterweight champions to face each other.
"I'm going straight into it. I don't want no tuneup fights. I don't want nothing. I wanna go straight into [the Spence fight],” Crawford stated.
"I'm free to do whatever I want. There's nothing standing in the way from us fighting. There's no promotion company that's blocking it, there's no wrong side of the street, there's no nothing. Let's see who the best welterweight in the world is.
"Now everybody's saying that Errol's back and he's 100% ready. So now is the perfect time for me and him to fight. He called me out [after he beat Yordenis Ugas in April], so it ain't no backing up.”
Following back-to-back stoppage wins against Kell Brook and Shawn Porter, Crawford believes the Spence fight has been building up perfectly and the contest will bring out the best in his boxing ability.
"Definitely it's bigger now, there's a lot at stake. Undisputed on the line, that's bigger than the fight that was going to happen [between us] in the past," Crawford said.
"This will be my second undisputed title in two different weight classes. That's never been done before in the history of boxing, so I'm looking forward to that as well.
"The way we can get this fight done is them sending me an offer and we look at the offer and sit down at the table and we discuss what's needed from both sides -- Team Spence, Team Crawford -- and we get the fight done like that. My team is just waiting on them to get in touch with us and make this fight happen.
"It's time to happen. The time is now for undisputed. ... I just think this is a fight where I can display my skills and my talent to the fullest. I think Spence is a great fighter and I think being in the ring with another great fighter will bring greatness out of me."
