Stephen Espinoza, the president of Showtime Sports, is still determined to make the highly anticipated fight between welterweight champions Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford happen. Despite the failure to reach an agreement between the two fighters last year, Espinoza remains optimistic about the potential for a future matchup.
During an interview on the Boxing with Chris Mannix Podcast, Espinoza offered measured optimism regarding the possibility of a deal being reached. He stated that he would not stop trying to find a way to make the fight happen as long as both fighters remained active in the sport.
The failure to make the fight happen last year was a disappointment for many boxing fans. Crawford went on to fight David Avanesyan in December, winning by a sixth-round technical knockout. Meanwhile, Spence only fought once last year due to the bungled negotiations.
Despite this setback, Spence is expected to return to the ring later in the spring, possibly against Keith Thurman. Crawford, on the other hand, is a free agent and has been reportedly in talks with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions to fight Alexis Rocha, a move that the WBO has formally ordered.
Despite these developments, Espinoza remains optimistic about the potential for a Spence-Crawford fight, rating the likelihood of it happening at 6.5 out of 10. He believes that there is still interest and a desire for the fight on both sides and that as long as neither fighter has given up, there is still a possibility for the fight to happen.
Espinoza acknowledged that there are obstacles that need to be overcome, such as the Rocha fight that has been ordered by the WBO. However, he emphasized that he would not give up until either one or both of the fighters retired.
In conclusion, Stephen Espinoza’s determination to make the Spence-Crawford fight happen is a promising sign for boxing fans. Although there are obstacles to overcome, Espinoza’s measured optimism and refusal to give up on the fight offers hope for a future matchup between two of the sport’s top fighters.
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