WBA super-welterweight champion Terence Crawford is one of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters of this generation and he has finally begun to receive the deserved recognition for his skills. Yet, despite now being at the peak of his superstardom in the sport, we may not see ‘Bud’ step through the ropes again.
Crawford made history when he became the first multi-divisional undisputed champion of the four-belt era, knocking out long-term rival Errol Spence Jr. in a career-defining clash for all four welterweight titles last year.
Since then, ‘Bud’ has targeted further success by continuously calling out undisputed super-middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez, who was fighting three weight-classes higher, but to no avail.
Instead, the Omaha sensation opted to move up to super-welterweight and edged out a unanimous-decision win against then WBA title-holder Israil Madrimov in his closest fight to date to become a four-division world champion.
Now, Crawford is continuing to demand a shot at Alvarez in hope to become a three-weight undisputed conqueror but there is an understandable lack of interest in the contest from the Mexican for what could only be considered as a ‘lose/lose’ scenario.
Saudi investor Turki Al-Alshikh seemed keen on the idea at one point, until Crawford’s struggles with Madrimov damaged the value of the showdown, but the newfound catalyst of boxing still has the 37-year-old in his plans – proposing a scrap with highly-rated super-welterweight knockout artist – Vergil Ortiz Jr.
However, Ortiz’s trainer Robert Garcia told FightHype that he does not believe Crawford would accept the fight after speaking with the ESPN 2014 and 2017 Fighter of the Year, adding that the switch-hitting technician may never fight again.
“I’ve talked to him personally, and my feelings are that he wants that big fight against Canelo, and if he doesn’t get that, he may never fight again,”
“He doesn’t need anybody to push him to take a challenge that he doesn’t need to prove anything anymore.”
Meanwhile, Al-Alshikh told The Stomping Ground a similar story, revealing his belief that Crawford is only interested in Canelo Alvarez.
“I don’t think Crawford will fight anyone except Canelo,”
“We [will] give him an offer for [Vergil] Ortiz, [but] I don’t know if he’ll take it or not.
“We have an agreement to do [a] big fight with Ortiz if Crawford doesn’t take the fight.
“I don’t think he will take it, I think he only wants Canelo.”
Should a lucrative Canelo proposal never manufacture, Crawford could still become a three-weight undisputed champion in his own weight-class by taking on lanky unified title-holder Sebastian Fundora (WBC & WBO) and Bakhram Murtazaliev (IBF).
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