Former WBC and IBF welterweight champion Shawn Porter believes friend and rival Terence Crawford is most likely planning a move from long-time promoter Top Rank to force fights with the cream of the 147lbs division.
The brilliant Crawford (37-0, 28 KOs) has looked on as most of the finest welterweights in world boxing have aligned themselves with Al Haymon’s PBC promotional vehicle, disrupting his chances of proving he is the best in the division.
With Crawford’s Top Rank contract winding down, promoter Bob Arum has criticised the WBO champion, saying their relationship has often cost him money and Porter feels this is the wrong approach.
“When it comes time for him to extend his contract with Top Rank or decide whatever he’s gonna do, he’s gonna make a business decision based on what’s best for his career and what’s best for his family. I definitely can see him making a move to PBC because this is where the money can be made and this is where the biggest fights can be made,” Porter told The Last Stand Podcast with Brian Custer.
“I got a feeling Bob Arum is understanding that [Crawford] may be ready to make that move and, because it’s gonna happen, [Arum thinks] I’m just gonna say how I feel. I don’t think he should do that. I think anybody’s who’s wanting to keep their client, they’re gonna wine and dine their client, and do whatever it takes to keep their client. So, I’ve got a feeling Bob knows what’s gonna happen. I think Bob’s just gonna take some shots anyway because he feels like the inevitable’s gonna happen. However, I don’t feel that what he said was right. I don’t agree with it. All those type of things, you keep in house. You never let that kind of stuff out because, once it gets out, now you and I are talking about it.
“Everybody’s gonna talk about it and now, if Terence Crawford decides to stay with Top Rank, now you’ve gotta mend all these different things that you’ve said. That’s gonna be the topic of discussion. Nobody’s gonna talk about, ‘Oh, he stayed with Bob’. Everyone’s gonna talk about, ‘Why he stayed with Bob? Why is he staying with you?’ I really do have a feeling that Bob is like, ‘Hey, the inevitable is about to happen. Let me just take these shots anyway’. But it’s something I just think he should’ve left at home.”
Main image: Mikey Williams/Top Rank/Getty.