GRADES: TERENCE CRAWFORD, ERROL SPENCE, NAOYA INOUE, STEPHEN FULTON & MORE

By: Jay Calderon

Well, it's not every week you get two distinct performances that help make a case for a pound-for-pound number one in the world. However, we've been getting pretty lucky so far this year.

First, on Tuesday (why?), we saw Naoya Inoue make easy work of previously-unbeaten Stephen Fulton, with the former capturing gold in his 122 pound debut in the process.

Then, on Saturday (much better), we saw Terence Crawford become undisputed Welterweight champion with a dominant stoppage performance over previously-undefeated Errol Spence.

We had a solid helping of action, including a couple of title fights. So, without much more rambling, let's hand out these Grades:

TERENCE CRAWFORD
GRADE: A+
RESULT: DEF. ERROL SPENCE, 9TKO (WELTERWEIGHT)
At about the highest level he can reach, in the biggest fight he can make, Terence Crawford was perfect.

Outside of the first round, where Crawford seemed intent on feeling Errol Spence out, Terence didn't lose much more than a second of his encounter with his fellow American. In one of the biggest Welterweight clashes of the modern era, Crawford made easy work out of what should have been his toughest test.

Many expected this to be a fight for the ages. Instead, we got a one-sided beat down that cements Crawford as a generational talent. Crawford was faster, sharper, had the better skills and was just better in every way against the guy that many predicted would hand him his first defeat.

Now, as the first four belt-era undisputed Welterweight world champion, Crawford might finally get the praise he has deserved for years.

And regardless at what weight their rematch may take place, Crawford repeats this success. Maybe worse.
 

ERROL SPENCE
GRADE: D
RESULT: LOSS TO TERENCE CRAWFORD, 9TKO (WELTERWEIGHT)

I hope that grade doesn't come across as mean or beyond the pale. But, unfortunately, we have to be honest here.

If the grade was merely for courage, it would be substantially higher. However, I'm jot just grading Errol Spence on his heart. He's a fighter, he's likely to have heart. I'm grading him on how well he did against Terence Crawford.

In short: Not too well.

Spence was supposed to be the bully, the naturally bigger man that pushed Crawford around and ultimately wore him down. Instead, he was repeatedly hurt by jabs, couldn't make a dent with his own shots and was out-fought on the inside as well.

Spence is still a great fighter. But if you based how you rate him off this performance, you might not come to that conclusion.

ISAAC CRUZ
GRADE: B-
RESULT: DEF. GIOVANNI CABRERA, 12SD (LIGHTWEIGHT)

The positives in this one are pretty straight forward. In a title eliminator, Isaac Cruz got the win and moves closer to a potential shot at some of the gold at 135 pounds.

However, while the result may have been desired, it wasn't Cruz' best performance.

Cruz looked predictable, unable to really hurt Giovanni Cabrera, who was there to be hit clean. At times, Cruz looked frustrated, like in the eighth when he had a point deducted due to a headbutt.

It was a performance that beats the likes of Cabrera (no offense) but did little to suggest he beats the best at 135 pounds. Cruz just doesn't seem like the elite fighter some might suggest.

At some point, Cruz has to do more than be known as the guy that did better than most expected against Gervonta Davis in a loss.

NAOYA INOUE
GRADE: A+
RESULT: DEF. STEPHEN FULTON, 8TKO (JR. FEATHERWEIGHT)

It's not just that Naoya Inoue defeated Stephen Fulton. In fact, despite how good Fulton can at times be, most experts picked Inoue to win the contest.

It's that he made it look easy.

Inoue made it look easy, as the naturally smaller man, making his debut at 122 pounds. And against the best fighter in the division. Inoue hardly lost a moment of the contest.

Yes, the power of Inoue made a big difference in this contest. But do you know what else made the difference? Inoue out boxed the boxer. Inoue was slicker and more athletic than Fulton, the fighter some argued might cause Naoya trouble for those very reasons.

In every aspect of the game, Inoue was the better fighter and made a strong case for being the best fighter in the world -- along with Terence Crawford, of course.

STEPHEN FULTON
GRADE: D+
RESULT: LOSS TO NAOYA INOUE, 8TKO (JR. FEATHERWEIGHT)

Any time you lose both of your 122 pound belts in a one-sided beat down, I would presume it's never a good day at the office. When you have to travel half way around the world to do it...it probably doesn't help.

That's the situation in which Stephen Fulton found himself earlier last week, being beaten down and stopped by Naoya Inoue in Japan. But, it wasn't just that he lost.

Fulton couldn't mount much of anything in terms of offense. Even when Fulton landed, it only seemed to piss Inoue off. He was out-boxed, out-slugged and ultimately dropped and stopped. It was the worst performance of Fulton's otherwise impressive career.

I think Fulton is good enough to come back and even make some noise, especially if he's able to successfully move up to 126 pounds. But Inoue just doesn't ever look like a fight he wins.

OTHER GRADES:
ALEJANDRO SANTIAGO
GRADE: A-
RESULT: DEF. NONITO DONAIRE, 12UD (BANTAMWEIGHT)

Nonito Donaire is not the old Donaire, the one that sent Vic Darchinyan and Fernando Montiel to the shadow realm. That said, Alejandro Santiago still beat a future Hall of Famer to capture his first world title.

No matter how you slice it, that's a solid performance.

NONITO DONAIRE
GRADE: D
RESULT: LOSS TO ALEJANDRO SANTIAGO, 12UD (BANTAMWEIGHT)

Nonito Donaire deserves praise just for being 40 years of age and managing to make the 118 pound fight limit at Bantamweight.

Outside of that, all I can think is that it's time to retire. All due respect to Alejandro Santiago, but the Donaire of old handily beats the Mexican.

ROBEISY RAMIREZ
GRADE: A
RESULT: DEF. SATOSHI SHIMIZU, 5TKO (FEATHERWEIGHT)

While everyone is (foolishly) wondering if Gervonta Davis (a Lightweight) vs. Naoya Inoue might ever happen, the fight to really consider for the future is the aforementioned Inoue vs. Robeisy Ramirez at 126 pounds.

LINKS:

- SCHEDULE & ODDS

- RESULTS

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