Terence Crawford’s response to Errol Spence Jr. ‘s return announcement was brief, but it stood out from the fighter who may have permanently changed the direction of Spence’s career.
Spence returns to action against Tim Tszyu in Australia on July 25, more than two years after Crawford stopped him in the ninth round of their undisputed welterweight fight in 2023. Since then, Spence has mostly stayed out of the spotlight while Crawford added another major feat by defeating Canelo Alvarez before retiring last December.
After news of the Tszyu fight became official, Crawford publicly supported his former rival on social media.
“Good to see you out there. Come on, I’ll be there to support,” Crawford said on X, in response to Spence’s return.
The message stood out because Crawford has a clearer picture than anyone of what Spence looked like at an elite level before the loss and what’s left after. Their bout was expected to settle a long-running debate between two undefeated champions. Instead, Crawford dominated the fight and handed Spence the first loss of his career in one-sided fashion.
Now Spence returns at 154 pounds against a fighter who is also trying to rebuild momentum. Tszyu has lost two of his last three fights, including losses to Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev, but he still represents a dangerous comeback opponent for someone who hasn’t fought since the Crawford loss.
The move to junior middleweight could help Spence physically after years of draining to make 147. The bigger question is whether the version of Spence that existed before the Crawford fight is still around after such a long layoff.
Crawford’s public support doesn’t answer that question. However, it does suggest that he still sees Spence as a serious fighter rather than someone returning for one last payday.
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Last updated on 2026/05/06 at 18:42
