Errol Spence Jr. says family came first before Terence Crawford fight

“I knew that this max payout was going to take care of my family. Even if I’m not here, it’s going to take care of my family,” Spence told Andre Ward’s channel. “It will take care of me, I didn’t know if I would ever box again.

“That’s why it took me so long. I didn’t know if I was going to box again, do anything. So, I was like, ‘Bro, I’m still going to fight.’ It just is what it is. I’m not going to make any excuses about it. Whatever criticism comes with it, whatever criticism comes with it. But at the end of the day, I’m doing it for the bigger picture.”

Spence said he entered the bout believing it could still be competitive, but admitted his body had been giving him warning signs for weeks leading up to fight night.

“I was tired, bro. I already knew,” Spence said. “In my mind, I thought this fight was going to be competitive, and I could win, but I probably felt it for a month and a little bit of change. I kind of felt like it could be bad, but at the end of the day, you’ve got to be a man. I’m not going to not fight.”

Rather than withdraw, Spence accepted the risk, knowing that the purse would provide long-term security for his family regardless of the outcome.

The defeat ended Spence’s reign at the top of the welterweight division and canceled an immediate rematch with Crawford. Instead, he stepped away from boxing for nearly three years, saying the break allowed him to recover physically, improve his health and spend more time with his family before deciding to resume his career.