Terence Crawford says he wants to go "straight into" fight with Errol Spence next

LAS VEGAS — Terence Crawford told ESPN he'll be «surprised» if he doesn't strike a deal to fight Errol Spence Jr. in 2022 for the undisputed welterweight championship.

Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs) and Spence have been circling around each other for years as fans have lobbied for the matchup. Now that Crawford is a promotional free agent after he parted ways with Top Rank, he said he sees no roadblock that could impede a deal for the super fight.

Crawford is even open to a multifight deal with PBC, an organization that rarely does business with Top Rank and manages virtually all of the top 147-pounders in the world.

«I'm free to do whatever I want,» Crawford said. «There's nothing standing in the way from us fighting. There's no promotion company that's blocking it, there's no wrong side of the street, there's no nothing. Let's see who the best welterweight in the world is.»

Following Spence's return from detached retina surgery two weeks ago, a 10th-round TKO victory over Yordenis Ugas that captured a third welterweight title, Crawford believes the fight is bigger than ever.

Spence (28-0, 22 KOs) was slated to fight Manny Pacquiao in August but withdrew from the bout when it was discovered he required immediate surgery. It was the second major setback of Spence's career. But just as he did in December 2020 when he returned from a lengthy hospital stay following a serious car accident, Spence impressed in dominant fashion.

«Now everybody's saying that Errol's back and he's 100% ready. So now is the perfect time for me and him to fight,» Crawford said. «He called me out, so it ain't no backing up.

»Definitely it's bigger now, there's a lot at stake. Undisputed on the line, that's bigger than the fight that was going to happen