Errol Spence Jr announced his retirement from the sport of boxing following a unanimous decision defeat to Tim Tszyu. Terence Crawford gave his immediate thoughts on the decision from ringside.
This weekend in Sydney, Australia, Spence returned after three years of inactivity off the back of his 2023 loss to Crawford to face Tszyu. Though the former unified welterweight champion lasted the full twelve rounds and made the fight competitive in the beginning, Tszyu was far more effective down the stretch and won a wide decision on the cards.
Spence looked vulnerable when under pressure and far from his prime. Post-fight, he confirmed that he would be hanging up the gloves at the age of 36 and with a record of 28-2, 22 KOs.
“I’ve got my faculties intact. My money is good, it’s working for itself. Everything’s good. I’ve got a beautiful family. I thank God that I’m gracious enough to leave this sport with my faculties intact and my family still by my side.
“I asked a lot of questions of myself. Now it’s time to go home with my family and start a new life.”
In the aftermath, Crawford was asked by Fight Hub TV if he felt Spence had made the right decision.
“Yeah. He’s been in a lot of wars. With his fighting style – come forward, take some punishment, dish some punishment and try to break somebody down – that type of style only goes so far … Like I said, he was off-balance. He just didn’t have it tonight.”
Crawford dealt Spence the first defeat of his career when they clashed for the undisputed welterweight world title, three years on from a near-fatal car crash that left his future in the sport up in the air.
