Spence Admits Retirement Thoughts After Crawford Loss

Errol Spence Jr. has spoken about how close he came to never fighting again.

The former unified welterweight champion, who suffered the first defeat of his professional career when Terence Crawford stopped him in the ninth round in July 2023, admits the loss pushed him toward walking away from the sport entirely. Nearly two years later, he has arrived at a different conclusion.

"Definitely, there were thoughts of retirement, but I feel rejuvenated. That long layoff has definitely helped me physically, it has definitely helped me mentally, and I am ready to show everybody what I have got left,” Spence

The Crawford loss arrived at the worst possible moment for Spence's legacy. He had spent years building toward undisputed welterweight status, beating Brook for the IBF title, unifying with Shawn Porter and Yordenis Ugas, and establishing himself as one of the two best welterweights in the world. Crawford was the final obstacle, and the stoppage in the ninth round ended both the unbeaten record and the dream of becoming undisputed. Spence is using the setback to bounce back stronger.

"A lot of people will be saying 'oh, he is going to be a shell of himself' or 'he can't come back', but they always say that. Eye injury, they said the same thing. Car crash, they said the same thing. They are going to continue saying the same thing and they are just adding fuel to my fire,” Spence added

The move to super welterweight is the other significant element of the comeback. Spence is making his debut at 154 pounds against Tszyu on July 25, stepping up a division with a stated ambition of eventually becoming a two-time world champion at the new weight.

A win over Tszyu — himself a former 154-pound titleholder with three professional losses — would immediately place Spence in the conversation for a title shot and establish his credentials in the division before the bigger nights arrive.