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By Chris Williams: Former ESPN commentator & trainer Teddy Atlas believes that Terence Crawford is too much of a “junkyard dog” and too skilled for Errol Spence Jr to defeat him on July 29th. Atlas thinks Crawford (39-0, 30 KOs) can hurt Spence late and possibly stop him.
Like many, Atlas is impressed with how Crawford effortlessly changes stances in his fights and dominates from both sides.
What Atlas doesn’t say is Crawford’s switching stances is needless, done to impress fans, but he’s not nearly as effective fighting out of the orthodox stance as he is when he’s southpaw.
It’s good that Atlas views Crawford as a “junkyard dog,” but who exactly has he been fighting?
Let’s face it; Top Rank fed Crawford weak opposition his entire career until he left them last year. In Crawford’s only fight since leaving Top Rank, he fought David Avanesyan. That’s not a great fighter.
The problem with Crawford, besides the fact that he’s never fought anyone good, is that he doesn’t throw a lot of punches and can be outworked by Spence.
Crawford isn’t going to knock out Spence, averaging 15 to 20 punches thrown per round, especially if Errol is throwing 80 to 100.
“That’s what Crawford does [switch hit with power], and he’s a junkyard dog as far as being mean and being vicious when you got to be vicious in a vicious sport where he has that mentality,” said Teddy Atlas to Fight Hub TV about Terence Crawford.
The junkyard dog talk from Atlas sounds good in theory, but we’ve never seen Crawford in with a fighter like Spence (28-0, 22 KOs) or even Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis.
Between the two, Spence has shown himself to be more of a junkyard dog than Crawford, as he’s been in wars where he had to take shots to win.
We’ve seen Crawford beat middle-of-the-road fighters like David Avanesyan and shot Shawn Porter, Kell Brook, and Amir Khan, but he’s not fought anyone like Spence during his 15-year pro career.
“He’s got that mentality where he’s going to do what he’s got to do, no matter what,” Atlas continued about Crawford. “I’m not saying that Spence doesn’t have some of these qualities, but to the degree that I’ve recognized it with Crawford, it’s at a very special degree.
“Yeah, the other guy [Spence] is bigger and can be relentless sometimes and has a better IQ than what people give him credit. I’m taking Crawford. It’s probably going to a decision.
“The argument for Spence is he goes to the body really well and goes to the body of the smaller man, and you’re going to get to him. Crawford’s going to have something to say while you’re trying to get to him. With an uppercut, counter-shot from lefty or righty. He does carry the power.
“Even though both of them are millionaires now, and it’s important to both of them on a personal level. I’m going with Crawford. I like a decision, but I wouldn’t be shocked if Crawford hurt him late in the fight,” said Atlas.
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