Next month boxing fans should get details as to where and when Terence Crawford’s next world title defence will play out.
The WBO welterweight champion had been ordered by the organisation to face their number two contender Shawn Porter and news broke yesterday that purse bids for the fight will take place on September 2 if a deal cannot be made before then.
Discussions between Crawford’s promoter Bob Arum (Top Rank) and Porter’s representatives Al Haymon (Premier Boxing Champions) had reached a dead end with an agreement unable to be reached before Friday’s August 20 deadline from the WBO. With 10 days until September 2 the clock is now ticking quicker for all concerned.
Of course, there is nothing to stop other promotional outfits from bidding on the fight and it will be interesting to see if other offers come in for this likely pay-per-view event. The fight itself is one that fans have been licking their lips at since it emerged that the champion is to fight Porter in his fifth title defence. Crawford is in need of a marquee win on his record at welterweight and doing so against the IBF former champion would help quieten the detractors who argue such a point.
“Everybody’s excited about me and Terence and the fight,” Porter said on his podcast The Porter Way in July.
The 33-year-old has shared a ring with Errol Spence Jr, Yordenis Ugas, Danny Garcia and Keith Thurman among others and his aggressive come forward style would certainly present a stiff test for the talents of Crawford.
After Ugas’s win over Manny Pacquiao at the weekend the welterweight division needs to build on that momentum and deliver some more attractive fights and Crawford v Porter is certainly that.