Usyk Picks Crawford To Beat Spence
Oleksandr Usyk has backed Terence Crawford to beat Errol Spence Jr. in a battle for the undisputed welterweight championship.
With less than a week to go before both fighters lock horns, the stakes in the welterweight division are at an all-time high.
The winner will become the first undisputed welterweight champion of the four-belt era, as the loser will suffer the first defeat on their record.
Crawford is the favorite going into the fight. The perception is that Crawford’s versatility will negate Spence’s come-forward style.
Usyk, himself, had done this effectively against Anthony Joshua. Despite being the smaller man, the Ukrainian outboxed Joshua even to the point where he could have stopped him had it not been for the final bell in the first fight.
With that being said, this is what Usyk had to say.
“It’s a great fight. I like Terence. He’s a great boxer. I think Terence wins. That’s my opinion. There are some similar things [with me] when Terence switches his stance, but it’s normal. All fighters from all over the world, watch each other’s fights and absorb some positive things.
“Then when you watch someone doing something extraordinary for you, you try it in training, and if you succeed, you feel like, Wow, that’s great. I can use it in my fights as well,” Usyk
This is precisely the scenario that Usyk would be facing if he did square off against Tyson Fury. The latter is much bigger and has changed his style with SugarHill Steward to become more of a power puncher who breaks down fighters.
Fury demonstrated this against Deontay Wilder, as he stopped the ‘Bronze Bomber’ in two out of the three fights.
But by having a high IQ, Usyk has shown that he can compete at the highest level which is why he is the current unified heavyweight champion.
Crawford will have to do the same if he is to beat Spence. But with glowing praise from Usyk, the WBO champion appears to be doing the right thing. So the question remains: can he do it? Time will tell come fight night.
