Formerly undisputed welterweight champion Terence Crawford has emerged as the pound-for-pound number one in the eyes of most during 2023 and has been linked to a host of high-profile clashes as a result.
Crawford dominated and knocked out Errol Spence Jr back in July in the standout performance of the calendar year.
He was crowned as the first undisputed welterweight champion of the four-belt era. However, last week the IBF stripped the 36-year-old of its belt due to a contractual inability to face his mandatory challenger and interim title-holder, Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis.
Responding to the news via FightHype, Crawford said he wasn’t frustrated but ‘f**k the IBF.’
“Man, f**k the IBF. That’s what I say. F**k IBF and their organisation. I don’t give a f**k about the IBF. They stripped me two and a half months after my title not knowing what was gonna happen next … I’m not mad at them, I got what I need and that was undisputed. The rest is history.”
In the aftermath of the Spence fight, Crawford has been linked to fights with Ennis, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Jermell Charlo, but has confirmed that the rematch is what will happen next.
“We signed a contract to do a rematch and that’s what it is right now … I don’t got no date right now, but I know that that’s the next fight for Terence Crawford.”
Other than the date, there was a question surrounding the weight of the rematch. Spence had, at the post-fight press conference, mentioned that they wanted up one division at 154.
Crawford later said that nothing was requested officially, but still seems open to the idea – especially given all four belts won’t be on the line now.
“Nothing has been noted to me that the fight will not happen, so that’s the fight. We don’t know the weight yet, the contract says 147lbs, so that is what it is at right now. Who knows, we can decide on 154lbs or 147lbs, everything is up in the air right now.”
Some reports suggest that the fight is being targeted for February.