Top Rank president: "The two parties could come together again - 'boom', the public get what they want"
Monday 9 March 2020 16:01, UK
The dream welterweight fight between Errol Spence Jr and Terence Crawford could finally be made due to the success of the Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury cross-promotion, says Todd DuBoef of Top Rank.
Fury and Crawford are aligned to Top Rank, while Wilder and Spence Jr are with Premier Boxing Champions.
The promoters worked together to stage two heavyweight title fights so could now be better placed to agree a welterweight title bout.
Top Rank president DuBoef told Sky Sports: "The success of the Wilder vs Fury 2 promotion could be very helpful in making this fight, because the two parties could come together again - 'boom', the public get what they want. We would love that.
"Terence wants to fight the best. We'd love to fight Spence Jr, that is obviously the best fight in the division and would be our priority."
Crawford vs Spence Jr is one of boxing's most desired match-ups and would pit two undefeated champions and pound-for-pound talents against each other.
Nebraska's Crawford is a three-weight world champion now holding the WBO welterweight title, unbeaten in 36. Texas-based Spence beat Kell Brook to win the IBF welterweight title and has since added the WBC belt, and is unbeaten in 26. Manny Pacquiao holds the WBA welterweight title.
But Spence Jr, after winning a back-and-forth battle with Shawn Porter last year, was charged with drink driving after crashing his car and is still recovering from the injuries so his return to the ring is not imminent.
"It's too soon after his injury," said DuBoef.
Crawford, as a result, is looking for an opponent for his first fight of 2020.
"He has other options - Josh Taylor or Jose Ramirez are compelling matches too," DuBoef said. "He has options on his plate but has a desire to fight the best. His needs for a long time have been to fight the best guys."
Vasiliy Lomachenko, meanwhile, continues his relentless pursuit of world championships with an expected fight against IBF lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez, set for May in New York.
Modern great Lomachenko holds the WBA, WBO and WBC 'franchise' belts so taking Lopez's title would effectively make him the undisputed champion of the third division that he won a world title in.
"He loves to collect titles," said DuBoef. "He wants to fight the best guys. He takes the hardware to heart.
"It is a big task for Lopez to chew off one of the pound-for-pound kings. It is a fascinating fight that offers a lot of issues for both guys.
"Lomachenko is a legend and has earned that status very quickly. Lopez is just somebody standing in the way of the hardware that he wants to put around his waist."
Japan's power-punching Naoya Inoue will enhance his status as one of the world's best boxers by making his Las Vegas debut on April 25 against Jonriel Casimero in a bantamweight title unification fight.
"He has this telegenic style," DuBoef said. "Boxing enthusiasts have a great appreciation for him so we wanted to bring him to America to get him more exposure.
"In essence, he is like Manny Pacquiao, a kid from Asia with dynamite in both hands. The project would be similar. His opponents have a Hispanic base, like Pacquiao's.
"Inoue is a real push of positive energy."
