“I honestly don’t know if he makes it to the Hall of Fame with the accolades that he didn’t got right now.” Those were the words of Terence Crawford, boxing’s first two-division undisputed male champion, referring to Errol Spence Jr. – the very man who made Crawford’s second undisputed title possible. Unsurprisingly, the comment has ignited a heated debate on social media.

Many fans and analysts have pushed back against Crawford’s take, arguing that Spence’s accomplishments are Hall of Fame-worthy. While Crawford may believe otherwise, the real question is: Does Spence truly fall short of that honor? Since his loss to Crawford, Spence has remained inactive, with injuries further delaying his return and fueling speculation about retirement. A potential fight with Sebastian Fundora briefly offered hope but ultimately fell through. So, let’s break down why Crawford’s assessment may be flawed.

Terence Crawford says he’s a Spence fan, but does that justify his take?

To Crawford’s credit, he clarified that his views on Spence are not driven by personal animosity. In fact, he described himself as a fan. “I’m a Spence fan. Like, when we build up, I’m like, “Man, hey, let me get your autograph,” Crawford said.

Yet, he argued that once they became competitors in the same division, people started downplaying his accomplishments to elevate Spence’s. He rejected this narrative, insisting that his own resume is Hall of Fame-worthy, while Spence is still working toward that level.

Crawford’s first point against Spence is that he has only fought in one weight division and was never undisputed. While true, this argument overlooks Spence’s background. Spence competed as a welterweight throughout his amateur career, excelling at the Golden Gloves and World Championships before turning pro. Expecting him to debut in a different weight class wouldn’t make sense.

Spence’s one-division career: A weakness or a natural path?

And once he entered the pro ranks, Spence remained undefeated for five years before claiming his first world title in 2017 by defeating Kell Brook on his home turf in Sheffield, England. That victory launched a dominant reign, during which he outclassed elite opponents like Mikey Garcia, Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia, and Yordenis Ugas, an Olympic bronze medalist, on his way to becoming a unified champion.

What many seem to overlook is that Spence achieved these milestones while battling significant adversity, including multiple car accidents, one of which occurred just months before facing Crawford. Ugas, who suffered severe eye swelling against Spence, defended him against Crawford’s remarks, “He practically came back from death and eye surgery to become a three-time champion.”

Crawford also downplayed Spence’s championship status, arguing that while he unified titles, he never became undisputed. He further suggested that Spence’s win over Brook was less impressive because Brook was coming off an eye injury and a loss.

Undisputed vs. unified: Does the difference define a Hall of Famer?

While undisputed status is a remarkable achievement, it was Spence’s dominance that made Crawford’s undisputed title possible. If Spence had held only one belt instead of multiple, would Crawford have even pursued the fight? It was Spence’s reign that elevated their clash into one of boxing’s greatest modern showdowns.

Regarding Brook’s condition, it’s worth noting that he moved up to fight Gennady Golovkin at middleweight, then dropped back down to face Spence just eight months later. He knew what he was getting into. Later he went on to win the WBC Silver light middleweight title. Wasn’t it Spence who played a pivotal role in Shawn Porter’s eventual retirement?

Crawford’s final point seems to imply that Spence didn’t take on the best competition. But the reality is that Spence fought the best available challengers at welterweight. Yes, Crawford moved across multiple weight classes, but in doing so, he avoided certain divisional threats. For instance, he never fought Jaron Ennis at welterweight, and a bout with Vergil Ortiz Jr. remains just hypothetical.

Given his resume, overcoming adversity, and sustained dominance at welterweight, Spence has a strong case for Hall of Fame induction. He may not have moved weight classes, but he cleared out an elite division and fought the best opposition available. Dismissing his accomplishments simply because he wasn’t undisputed ignores the significance of his journey.

So, is Crawford right, or is he selling Spence’s career short? What’s your take on Spence Jr.’s Hall of Fame future?