Around eight months after his generational performance and knockout win against Errol Spence Jr, unified welterweight champion Terence Crawford is set to return to the ring, but the proposed bout hinges on one condition.
‘Bud’ became undisputed at 147lbs when he stopped his countryman last year, but was stripped of his IBF title just three months later, a decision that appeared to prompt the undefeated southpaw to consider a move up in weight.
Regardless of links to a mammoth contest with super-middleweight king Canelo Alvarez, it now appears that Crawford will utilize the WBO’s ‘super champion’ ruling, which allows a current WBO title-holder to become mandatory challenger for the equivalent belt when they move up in weight.
As a result, Crawford is poised to confirm a move up to super-welterweight, where he will meet Australia’s Tim Tszyu, providing he defeats Sebastian Fundora on Saturday, and Tszyu’s manager Glen Jennings told Fox Sports that the clash has been secretly lined up for five months.
“I received a call from Crawford’s business manager, who is a friend of mine … but it still came out of the blue. It was shortly before the Mendoza fight [in October].
“Going up to 154, he [Crawford] automatically becomes mandatory for the WBO title. So if Tim Tszyu retains his world title belt in this next fight – and he will retain it – then Crawford becomes his mandatory.
“So immediately after that fight, when everything becomes official, we’ll go straight into negotiations to see what we can get done. Of course, Tim will also have a WBC mandatory which clouds the situation somewhat.
“But obviously when Crawford comes into play the entire boxing world sits up and takes notice.”
Despite Jennings’ confidence, Tszyu faces a sizeable task in Fundora both physically and mentally, taking on ‘The Towering Inferno’ on just 12 days’ notice for the WBO and WBC titles on Saturday night, following the withdrawal of Keith Thurman.