Derrick James expressed his feelings about the Crawford-Spence press conference moments ago, he is what he had to say to Behind The Gloves:
James noted that the press conference got heated, more so than any of the previous ones.
“Time is really when it’s time and like it’s like really tired of making it happen,” James said. “This is not about the last eight weeks or ten weeks. It’s about the last 15-16 years.”
Terence Crawford’s Warning
When asked about Terence Crawford’s rather ominous warning – “things can turn deadly” – James did not hold back.
“It’s disrespectful to threaten a room full of people,” he stated firmly. “Who does that? The real killers don’t do that.”
The rhetoric is heating up, with Crawford’s comment clearly ruffling feathers.
The Exchange with BoMac
James also addressed his exchange with BoMac, Crawford’s coach, during the press conference.
“No, I mean, I don’t know what he said about me, but I never really said anything about him.
It seems like the usually composed James found himself drawn into the whirlwind of tensions.
“It seemed to get a little bit more heated than I think any of the other press events,” he said. James attributes this heat to the pressure and the long-standing rivalry between the fighters. “This is not about the last eight weeks; it’s about the last 15-16 years.”
The intensity of the conference is not surprising, considering the high stakes and the lengthy history between the competitors.
Training Strategy and Fighter’s Mentality
“You can show them something, you can teach them something, but they actually see somebody doing what you teach, then he’s like oh, I understand, I get it,” he comments. T
“People in England are full of like how do y’all talk like y’all act like y’all got 29 world champions,” he shares, implying the undue pressure and unrealistic expectations from the boxing community.
James further addresses the controversy over the Undisputed title. He counters,
“We’ve been here before. They’ve never been on, but really he’s the only fighter ever to be on Pay-Per-View and taken off Pay-Per-View, so he’s never really been here before.”
Another interesting aspect of the interview is James’s analysis of the mind games often played in boxing.
“It’s like somebody else walked out. Well, Arrow kept saying you’re too emotional, you’re too emotional…,” he explains.
James wrapped up the interview with a rallying cry for fans still on the fence about purchasing the pay-per-view.
“Come out, watch the fight. It’s going to be very explosive. The press conference won’t even add up to what you’ll see in the ring. And you’ll see some great two great fighters and one Undisputed champion from DeSoto, Texas.”
