It’s been almost a year since Errol Spence Jr. suffered a brutal loss to Terence Crawford.
The 9th-round TKO loss was the first of Spence Jr’s career. Spence Jr. (28-1, 22 KOs) looked utterly overmatched in a fight that was supposed to remind fans of Sugar Ray Leonard-Tommy Hearns.
Regrettably, the fight was a complete domination, with Spence Jr. struggling to find his footing against the relentless onslaught of Crawford.
Ironically enough, Sebastian Fundora (21-1-1, 14 KOs) knows the feeling. Before his split decision win over Tim Tsyzu, Brian Mendoza knocked Fundora out in the 7th round.
Spence Jr. hopes to experience a bounce-back win similar to Fundora’s when the two meet in Dallas in October.
The fight will be pay-per-view on Prime Video.
Both fighters have another thing in common. Another loss will significantly impact their career.
In Spence Jr.’s case, a loss would symbolize the roller coaster ride his career has been on since his car accident.
Even a win might not give the boost Spence Jr. is looking for. A ho-hum win wouldn’t stop the questions about how much damage the Crawford loss was, mentally and physically.
An impressive win wouldn’t necessarily set up an immediate rematch with Crawford because Crawford wants to fight Canelo Alvarez.
Keith Thurman is another option, but at this point of his career, between injuries and inactivity, who knows if he is nothing more than a name?
Jaron “Boots” Ennis also could be in play if Ennis defeats Cody Crowley in July.
None of that will be in play if Spence Jr. doesn’t take care of business against Fundora and does it spectacularly.
