Crawford dominates new weight classes

Terence Crawford concluded his dominant run through the weight classes after his ninth-round TKO of Errol Spence Jr. in Las Vegas. This victory made him the first male boxer to claim undisputed championship status in two different weight divisions. Crawford holds a record of 40-0 with 31 knockouts. At the time of the fight, Crawford was 35 years old and Spence was 33 years old. The fight occurred on July 29 in Las Vegas and generated over $59 million in revenue from 700,000 pay-per-view buys and over $20 million from ticket sales. Crawford was the favorite at -146 odds while Spence sat at +116. Crawford out-landed Spence 185 to 96 in total punches. In the bout, Crawford dropped Spence in the second round and twice in the seventh round. He led 79-70 on all three scorecards before the referee stopped the fight. He finished the fight landing 60 percent of his power shots and 42 percent of his jabs. He later moved to 154 pounds to defeat Israil Madrimov and defeated Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez at super-middleweight before announcing his retirement. The rematch clause with Spence failed to occur because the time limit on the option lapsed. Crawford is now a promotional free agent. You can see how his status changed once he vacated the 147-pound belts.

The lapsed Spence rematch clause

The rematch between Crawford and Spence never occurred because the contractual window closed. Errol Spence Jr. activated his rematch clause to avenge his first professional loss, which left his record at 28-1. The rematch clause with Crawford specified a return at welterweight. However, the time limit on the option expired after Spence opted to undergo cataract surgery. Spence is 36 and faces Tim Tszyu in Sydney. He previously hit the canvas three times during his loss to Crawford. The rematch clause between Crawford and Spence lapsed because the time limit expired after Spence chose to undergo cataract surgery, which allowed Crawford to move up to 154 pounds and eventually target the super-middleweight division. Spence now works with trainer Ronnie Shields to prepare for his return. He feels rejuvenated and expects to be ready for a fight at super-welterweight or middleweight. Will Spence ever find redemption in the ring?

Riyadh Season expands its global reach

Turki Alalshikh expands the Riyadh Season brand by hosting major events in the United States. The August 3 event at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles was a sellout. This event brought Crawford against Madrimov and was sponsored by Visit Saudi, MDL Beast, and Red Sea Global. The Riyadh Season card included several high-profile fights. Isaac Cruz defended his WBA super-lightweight title against Jose Valenzuela. Andy Ruiz fought Jarrell Miller. David Morrell faced Radivoje Kalajdzic. Andy Cruz took on Antonio Moran. Vergil Ortiz Jr. defended his WBC interim super-welterweight belt against Israil Madrimov. Shakur Stevenson fought Floyd Schofield for the WBC lightweight title. Hamzah Sheeraz challenged Carlos Adames for the WBC middleweight strap. Agit Kabayel and Zhilelei Zhang fought for the vacant WBC interim heavyweight title. Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith collided for the WBO interim light heavyweight title. The event involved Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy, TGB Promotions, and Sela. It also included associations with League 1, World Of Boxing, Queensberry, Salita Promotions, and Warriors Boxing Promotions. Alalshikh also announced a February 22 mega-event in Riyadh featuring a rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. Daniel Dubois will defend his IBF heavyweight title against Joseph Parker on that card.