JUST days removed from Naoya Inoue’s assault on boxing’s mythical pound-for-pound summit, Terence Crawford gets the opportunity to stake his claim on Saturday night.

Five years of posturing and pandering with welterweight rival Errol Spence will finally come to an end at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, as ‘Bud’ aims to secure his legacy as both a three-weight and double unified world champion.

Japanese superstar Inoue added a fourth weight class crown to his resume on Tuesday, with a flawless eighth round TKO over previously unbeaten world champion Stephen Fulton, forcing fight fans to revaluate their P4P standings.

And with heavyweight Oleksandr Usyk waiting on Tyson Fury’s latest debacle to pass, Crawford can drop a statement of his own to ensure the title of boxing’s champion of champions is changed once more.

Of course, a career-best win for Spence would also throw his name back into the feverish fan favourite mix. But it’s Crawford (39-0, 30 KO’s) who has the global attention having pushed and pulled for this 147lb showdown.

The 35-year-old from Omaha, Nebraska traded in his lightweight world title for light-welterweight gold in 2015 before going on a six-fight rampage to unify all the belts at 140lb.

Welterweight then followed in 2018 featuring six hugely impressive knockout defences that included UK fan favourites Kell Brook and Amir Khan. But that #1 spot showdown with Spence repeatedly fell down at the negotiating table.

Unbeaten 33-year-old Spence has 28 wins with 23 knockouts, but has been criticized for hand-picking title defences against promotional stablemates alongside long absences due to a near fatal car crash and subsequent injury-related sabbaticals.

In the end, it was Crawford who quit his promoter and TV broadcaster in order to switch to Spence’s PBC outfit, removing all political hurdles in the way of the fight.

Naturally, this is boxing, there is a rematch clause for both men to activate. But in this case, nobody is complaining. These are the two best 147lb fighters on the planet, so a series of fights is likely necessary to remove all doubt.

Both have bags of big fight experience, yet neither are currently crossover mainstream stars. Hopefully, this fight will go some way to changing that in time for the return.

Two unbeaten, experienced, highly-skilled southpaws with fast hands, elevated ring IQ, faultless footwork and detonating power. Their combined 67-0 records featuring 52 knockouts speaks for itself.

This is what boxing looks like when two of the very best in the business collide. The question now is, who wins?

Statistically, there’s not much in it. Spence is a little younger and a little taller, whilst Crawford has been more active and is a little longer. But that experience also comes at a cost, he has more miles on the clock.

Stylistically, Spence is a volume puncher, accurate and proficient, he works behind a jarring jab and methodically breaks down his foes gliding in and out of range with power in both hands.

Crawford also relies on speed and technique married with exceptional footwork. A switch-hitter, he’s as comfortable fighting orthodox as he is southpaw, and loves to combine power jabs with hooks to the body and uppercuts.

Crawford is the apex predator here. If he smells blood he doesn’t wait, he takes opponents out there and then. That’s perhaps best displayed via their performances against the same challenger.

Shawn Porter extended Spence the distance in a fight of the year contender in 2018 and was as equally competitive against Bud in 2021 before being taken out in round 10.

And that’s how I see this fight playing out. The rounds will be close, the fight will be close, but Crawford’s natural instinct to unload will see Spence hit the canvas.

If he manages to survive the final four-round onslaught, the knockdown points will be enough to see a close fight pushed in the direction of Crawford.

TIP: Crawford on Points (9/5)