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TERENCE CRAWFORD: “I WILL SHOW THE WORLD WHY I’M THE BEST FIGHTER ON THE PLANET”

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Terence Crawford

Pound-for-pound star goes for World Title in fourth division in LA this Saturday, live on DAZN PPV

Terence Crawford is out to remind fans why he is considered to be the number one pound-for-pound fighter on the planet when he takes on Israil Madrimov for the WBA and WBO interim Super-Welterweight World Titles at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles this Saturday August 3, live worldwide on DAZN PPV.

Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) is gunning to become a four-weight World champion as he moves up to 154lbs after conquering the Welterweight division with a stunning KO win over Errol Spence to be crowned the undisputed champion at 147lbs in Las Vegas in July last year.

The Omaha star, who headlines the first ever Riyadh Season card on U.S. soil this weekend, has already ruled the roost at Super-Lightweight and Lightweight, and now ‘Bud’ is arrowing in on cementing greatness by relieving Madrimov of his WBA 154lbs crown.

Terence Crawford vs Israil Madrimov Boxing card: What are the fights you must see this Saturday? | Marca

READ: Terence Crawford staggering streak cements status as Floyd Mayweather successor

“Realistically the next step was to do a rematch with Spence,” Crawford told Matchroom. “For whatever reason it didn’t happen, so I had to move on with my career. The ultimate goal was to try to get the Canelo fight. That didn’t happen, so we went to the next best thing.

“154 was wide open. I was looking to fight Charlo, he left, so I‘ve got a fight with whoever I could get for a World Title. Israil Madrimov is a tremendous fighter. He’s 10-0, already a World Champion. He’s a tough dangerous fighter. I think it’s going to be an exciting fight.

“I think he’s very strong. I think he’s ‘herky-jerky’. I think he’s illusive, he can box, he can brawl, he can move, he can take a punch and that make for a great fight. I know he’s going to train hard. I know his coaches will train him to be the best that he can be and come fight night he’s going to try to do any and everything to dethrone me from my top spot, even though he’s the champion.

“He wants what I’ve got and that’s the recognition, the accolades, the pound for pound spot. He wants to be on top of the world like myself. He’s going to be filled with so much energy to prove to the world that he belongs in the ring with the top fighters. I consider Israil the best 154lbs fighter in the division right now. So why not go for the top guy in the division, right off the bat?

“As for myself, I’ve been here before. This is nothing new. I know how to handle things like this. I know how to go about fighting these type of guys that have a lot to prove. Come fight night I will show the world once and for all, once again, why I’m the best fighter on the planet.”

Crawford says he has been hugely impressed by His Excellency Turki Alalshikh’s vision for boxing and the switch-hitting dynamo is proud to partner with Riyadh Season for their debut venture in the U.S.

“I’m very excited to be headlining His Excellency Turki Alalshikh’s first card in the USA,” said Crawford. “I’m very excited for the first big event coming to America. Being the headliner of the event is a big honour. It’s going to be a tremendous event. There’s a stacked undercard and I’m just happy to be a part of it.

“In today’s age, it’s one of the best undercards that has been put together since back in the day. Pretty much six fights on the undercard could be main events. With that being said, all of them put on one card is a blessing. I’ve been talking to His Excellency for years now. This is the right time for us to partner up and do a big event. I’m quite positive that this is going to be a huge event.”

Crawford vs. Madrimov tops a blockbuster Los Angeles Riyadh Season Card this weekend, Mexico’s Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz (26-2-1, 18 KOs) defends his WBA Super-Lightweight World Title against Jose Valenzuela (13-2, 9 KOs), former Unified Heavyweight World Champion Andy Ruiz Jr. (35-2, 22 KOs) returns against New York’s Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller(26-1-1, 22 KOs), undefeated Heavyweight contender Jared Anderson (17-0, 15 KOs) collides with Martin Bakole (20-1, 15 KOs) in a an explosive match-up for the NABF and WBO International Titles, Cuba’s David Morrell (10-0, 9 KOs) defends his WBA Light-Heavyweight World Title against Radivoje ‘Hot Rod’ Kalajdzic (29-2, 21 KOs), Olympic Lightweight Champion Andy Cruz (3-0, 1 KO)continues his 135lbs campaign when he takes on Mexico’s Antonio Moran (30-6-1, 21 KOs) with the IBF International and WBA Continental Latin-American Titles on the line, unbeaten Super-Middleweights Steve Nelson (19-0, 15 KOs) and Marcos Ramon Vazquez (20-0-1, 10 KOs) meet over ten rounds and Saudi Arabian Welterweight talent Ziyad Almaayouf (5-0, 1 KO) fights in the US for the first time against Poland’s Michal Bulik (6-7, 2 KOs).

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Terence Crawford staggering streak cements status as Floyd Mayweather successor

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Terence Crawford Floyd Mayweather

Pound-for-pound great Terence Crawford is on a stunning knockout streak.

The former three-weight world champion has stopped his last 11 opponents stretching back to 2016.

To make the feat even more impressive, every single one of those wins came in a world title fight.

Crawford kicked off his impressive run by finishing John Molina Jr inside eight rounds in December 2016 to retain his WBC and WBO light-welterweight belts.

Floyd Mayweather CONFRONTS Terence Crawford In Person After CALL OUT..

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The likes of Amir Khan, Kell Brook, and Shawn Porter fell to him in the following years as he picked up all the major sanctioning body belts at 140lbs.

Crawford then went on to cement his legacy as an all-time great by knocking out Errol Spence 10 months ago to become undisputed champion at welterweight.

This marked the first time a male fighter had been crowned a two-weight undisputed champion in the four-belt era – although Naoya Inoue and Oleksandr Usyk have since followed suit.

‘Bud’ is now 40-0 as a pro and is quickly closing in on Floyd Mayweather’s unblemished 50-0 record.

‘TBE’ won world titles in five different weight classes but never achieved undisputed status during his 21-year stint in the paid ranks.

The closest Mayweather came to unifying all the belts was in 2015 when he defeated Manny Pacquiao for the WBC, WBA, and WBO welterweight titles.

However, Mayweather refused to pay a sanctioning fee to the WBO after the fight and was subsequently stripped of their version of the world title.

Crawford is looking to further close the gap on Mayweather’s legacy by going for his fourth world title this weekend.

He faces Israil Madrimov for the Uzbek’s WBA super-welterweight strap at Los Angeles’ BMO Stadium in Riyadh Season’s first overseas card.

Madrimov, like Crawford, is known for his heavy hands with seven stoppage wins from 11 fights (10-0-1).

His power was on full display in his last outing when he knocked out Magomed Kurbanov in Saudi Arabia to win his world title.

Crawford, who boasts 31 knockouts during his illustrious career, has carried the stopping power at every weight class he has fought in.

Whether he is still a big puncher at 154lbs will become abundantly clear when he dukes it out with Madrimov in his divisional debut.

While Crawford looks to further cement his status as a future first-ballot Hall of Famer, Mayweather continues to compete beyond his professional retirement.

The 47-year-old hung up his gloves in 2017 after beating former two-weight UFC champion Conor McGregor but now makes easy money boxing in exhibition bouts fighting YouTubers, reality TV stars, and everything in between.

His last outing against John Gotti III in June 2023 ended in a no-contest after the fight was stopped due to ‘excessive trash talk’ from both fighters.

He is now set to rematch Gotti III on August 24 in Mexico City.

Mayweather had originally declared that he was boxing Victor Ortiz on the same date.

However, that fight didn’t come to fruition.

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‘I’LL GIVE A FAIR PRICE’ FOR CRAWFORD: TURKI ALALSHIKH TELLS CANELO:

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Turki Alalshikh Canelo Alvarez Terence Crawford

Turki Alalshikh says he will not be held hostage by Canelo Alvarez’s demands as talks over a Terence Crawford fight remain in the background. 

Alvarez will box Edgar Berlangaon September 14 during Mexican Independence Day. The news meant Canelo vs. David Benavidez was off the table, as the Mexican Monster moved up to 175 pounds. Canelo demanded $150-200 million to fight Benavidez, which never came as the Saudis were not interested in putting up those numbers. Canelo’s decision to fight Berlanga on September 14 also got Turki’s attention.

It will clash with UFC 306, which has been labelled Riyadh Season Noche UFC due to the Saudis sponsoring it. The UFC is likely to get more ratings as it is the first fight at The Sphere. In addition, the headline event of Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili is much more competitive than Canelo’s fight. Alalshikh had plenty to say about Canelo moving forward.

Easy now, Bud: Has Canelo Alvarez rained on Terence Crawford's parade? | Boxing News

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“I’ll give Canelo what I think is a fair price. If he accepts it, he deals directly with me to finish the deal. We will eat him…I guaranteed Crawford a big fight. I want Canelo for Crawford, and Crawford wants Canelo. But if Canelo is crazy [asking for too much money], I will still guarantee Crawford any fight he wants,” Turki Alalshikh said

Canelo’s decision not to face his IBF mandatory William Scull means he is no longer undisputed. The Mexican’s ability to secure a larger purse will be impacted somewhat since he is not undisputed. With Canelo recognizing he is at the latter end of his career, there is a clear plan to take the least risky fights for the most money. He has already won titles in four-weight classes and will go down as a future Hall of Famer.

Aside from Benavidez, Canelo beat the toughest boxer of his era three times when he took on GGG. That was a perfect response to getting beat by Floyd Mayweather, who is one of the best of all time. While the Dmitry Bivol defeat was a setback, Canelo’s CV spans over 60 fights, showing he has faced all kinds of opponents. A Crawford fight is the last likely big bout he can take. His other options are too risky.

David Morrell Jr. may see his long-term future at 175 instead of 168, which is a risky fight regardless, as he is a knockout artist. Christian Mbilli is another knockout artist who has called out Alvarez. If Canelo did not pursue the Benavidez fight, facing Morell or Mbilli for less money makes no sense.
Alvarez was initially against the idea of fighting Crawford, saying he gets no credit for beating a 147 fighter. But if the money is a fight, Alvarez could be swayed. Crawford’s trainer, Brian McIntyre, expects his fighter to beat Canelo.

“Canelo has been in the game long enough to know what he’s doing… If [Crawford] does get Canelo right after the Madrimov fight, [Canelo] might just be in a little bit of trouble. Because [Crawford] has got that rhythm, he’s into that rhythm, into his groove. It’s a good thing for Terence,” Bomac stated

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“Hope You Learned Your Lesson”- Terence Crawford Sends a Message to Austin Theory After Knocking Him Out on WWE SmackDown

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Terence Crawford Austin Theory WWE SmackDown

Whether it’s on the silver screen, teaching Michael B. Jordan the art of throwing a real punch in Creed III, or swaying the fans with his theatrics inside the ropes of the WWE ring, Terence Crawford never fails to make an everlasting impression.

He once again seized headlines in the combat sports world with his brutal knockout power, but this time, on the receiving end, was Austin Theory. This week’s WWE SmackDown had ‘Bud’ standing tall on the fallen body of the WWE star, after delivering a deadly one-punch blow. It seems that’s not the end.

The American boxer was in the audience at WWE SmackDown last week, as the WWE show made its way to Omaha, his native place. As a huge WWE fan, for Crawford, 36, the event unfolded drastically when he handed Cody Rhodes a steel chair and ended up helping the latter pull a win against ‘A-Town Down Under’. This week, it was time to answer for his deeds, and the welterweight champion exactly did that. But with his right fist. What’s more?

Professional Boxer Terence Crawford Knocks Out Austin Theory on WWE SmackDown

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The WWE uploaded the video of Crawford knocking out Austin Theory on its Instagram handle, and the 40-0 record holder turned to the comment section and left a message. The comment read, “all know how I get down hope you learned your lesson @austin_theory.”

Interestingly, in the same comment section, Grayson Waller hilariously lauded Austin Theory for taking a punch, first from Tyson Fury and now Crawford. For fans, Crawford’s appearances at WWE events sparked a debate about whether the Omaha native was gearing up for his WWE debut, following in the footsteps of Floyd Mayweather Jr., who once featured on WrestleMania 24.

Crawford is currently not sure whether he is up for the task. In a conversation with Ariel Helwani, he disclosed, “I don’t know. I haven’t gotten into it that far.” Talking about his experience attending the WWE event, the southpaw boxer added, “The experience was second to none. It was electrifying. I was nervous doing it. It was different. It was dope and a good feeling. Not only was it my hometown, but it was WWE, a big platform.”

What has seemed to affect Crawford’s call is the high risk of injuries in the WWE. In addition, he has an upcoming fight against Israil Madrimov for the WBA super welterweight title. This is to move up the divisions, cement his legacy, and maybe do enough to attract the attention of Canelo Alvarez. However, he hasn’t denied venturing into WWE after he is done with boxing.

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“Hungry Lion” Terence Crawford Can Knockout Canelo Alvarez, Says Olympic Medalist

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Terence Crawford Canelo Alvarez

Who can give the 2-division undisputed champion Terence Crawford a legacy-defining big-money fight?

At thirty-six, Terence Crawford is looking for a bout that would set him up nicely for retirement. Now, Crawford only has his eyes on one man: the undisputed super-middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. “Canelo is going to bring way more to my legacy; way more to my bank account. At the end of the day, when boxing is done with, what will we have? I wanna have a legacy that people talk about for ages, and not only that, I want a bank account that will last for ages,” the former undisputed welterweight champion told Ariel Helwani.

Crawford is gradually working to reduce the weight gap between himself and Canelo. On August 3, at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, the Nebraska native will move up to Light Middleweight to challenge WBA champion Israil Madrimov for the title as part of the massive Matchroom Boxing event. Depending on the outcome of the Madrimov fight, Crawford will go to great lengths to entice Canelo into a bout, potentially next year. Most boxing experts have high confidence in Crawford’s chances of defeating the current face of boxing. Keyshawn Davis, a silver medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and an emerging star in the Lightweight division is also backing Terence Crawford to pull off an upset win against the super-middleweight kingpin, Canelo Alvarez.

Terence Crawford: American boxer to face Israil Madrimov in bid to win world title at fourth different weight - Eurosport

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While in a conversation with Fight Hype TV, the 25-year-old was asked about the outcome of a potential showdown between Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez. Without hesitation, the Olympian chose Crawford to do a number on the Mexican if they were to fight it out in the ring. On top of that, he didn’t rule out Crawford’s chance of even knocking out ‘Cinnamon’. “Size don’t mean everything in a fight… I think he can knock out Canelo. Yes. For sure. If he does that, that would be crazy. This guy is a young, hungry lion. This guy not coming here just to lay down. He really fights. This guy got real IQ,” Davis said.

‘The Businessman’s’ opinion differs from those who feel that weight would play a significant part in Terence’s downfall against Canelo. The Mexican boxer, who will not be budging from his natural weight class, is being touted to inflict serious damage since Canelo is much more attuned to fighting at 168 than Crawford. But, Davis feels that Crawford’s superior boxing IQ will reign supreme.

Doubling down on his prediction, the twenty-five-year-old boxer further remarked, “Terence about to outbox him like he got to do. Terence about to knock him out like he got to. Whatever, he gotta do to get the win, it’s gonna be crazy. This matchup is just crazy to even get into.” 

Interestingly, Crawford has a higher KO rate than Canelo at 77.5%, ending 31 of his 40 fights via knockout. Meanwhile, Canelo’s KO percentage stands at 63.93%, with him preferring to go the distance with his last four opponents.

Reportedly, Canelo will be going up against the 27-year-old undefeated boxer Edgar Berlanga on September 14 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, according to ESPN’s Mike Coppinger. Berlanga has never fought a world title fight. Right now, it seems Canelo is looking for easy fights that wouldn’t mess up his impressive boxing record. At the tail end of his career, Canelo will be demanding a humungous sum of money to enter into the ring against elite competitors like Terence Crawford or even David Benavidez.

Meanwhile, Canelo’s former promoter Eddie Hearn revealed why the Mexican legend wouldn’t be willing to take up the Crawford fight.

In an interview with talkSPORT in May, Eddie Hearn said Alvarez is likely to turn down the Crawford fight due to the gulf in weight classes between the two fighters. He further stated that Canelo is more likely to fight someone close to his weight class, at a hefty price of course! Does Canelo’s $200 million price tag set on the Benavidez fight ring a bell?

“When I met Saul, he wasn’t crazy on that [Crawford] fight. He just felt that you have got a welterweight coming up to light-middleweight, going up to super-middleweight and that he wouldn’t get any credit for that win. I think that he would pick Benavidez over Crawford because he knows he would get the credit for that victory, whereas he might not for fighting a guy that is three or four divisions lower,” Hearn asserted.

Notably, Canelo started his career at light welterweight and slowly made his way up to light-heavyweight. So, for Terence Crawford to make that leap in weight classes isn’t an unimaginable task. But, Canelo’s comfortability in the super-middleweight division cannot be factored out. After all, a sudden jump from 147 to 168 for Crawford could affect his mobility and the quickness of throwing punches.

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“I wanna see him fight the best in the division”: Terence Crawford Draws Out Plan for Shakur Stevenson to Sweep the Lightweight Division

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Terence Crawford Shakur Stevenson

Shakur Stevenson has been trying to get bigger fights in the lightweight division for the past few years.

However, it has not gone his way, and he has become one of the most ignored fighters in boxing. But, one legendary boxer believes Stevenson is headed in the right direction for greater success. Two-division undisputed champion Terence Crawford has prepared a plan to help Stevenson get to the top of the lightweight division.

Stevenson extended his unbeaten record to 22-0 earlier this month against German boxer Artem Harutyunyan. Despite Stevenson’s victory, fans deemed it as a boring fight. Additionally, it was his last fight with Bob Arum’s Top Rank, and he has not signed another promoter yet. But the news of him being a free agent has created a buzz online.

Terence Crawford and Shakur Stevenson spar, gearing up for next fights - Bad Left Hook

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Fans have criticized Stevenson for being a boring combatant. He uses a fairly defensive style of play. However, ‘Bud’ prefers that the young boxer continue doing what he is doing and make no changes to his style. During his conversation with sports journalist Ariel Helwani, Crawford stated, “I would like to see Shakur Stevenson do exactly what he’s doing now. Keeping his name out there in the media, people are talking about him. Ultimately, I wanna see him fight the best in the division.”

Additionally, Crawford added, “I wanna see him unify the division and shut these guys up who are saying, ‘he’s not this great fighter they think he is’. I wanna see those guys get in the ring with him.”

Stevenson has been waiting for a long time to take on top boxers such as Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, and Gervonta Davis. But to no avail.

However, he feels these boxers will eventually have to fight him for the title given that he currently holds the WBC lightweight belt. Moreover, another sports icon shares the same thoughts as ‘Bud’.

Joe Cordina, a former two-time super featherweight champion, admired Stevenson’s boxing abilities. The Welsh boxer was a rival to Stevenson before, but he still admires the latter’s talent. While talking to BoxingScene, Cordina said, “It’s mad, because I see loads of people giving him stick. But if you love the art of boxing, you can’t knock it. How can you knock that? He hits and doesn’t get hit. He’s smart.”

The 32-year-old further mentioned that Stevenson is among the best defensive fighters today. Cordina stated that he genuinely doesn’t understand why the Newark native is getting so much hate. He explained, “It’s people that just don’t see the art of boxing. All they want to see is knockouts.”

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Why David Benavidez Puts Canelo Alvarez Dream to Rest Decides to Remain at 175 Explain

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David Benavidez Canelo Alvarez

Perhaps the grass on the other side is indeed greener. 

David Benavidez might have sensed that a fight with either Artur Beterbiev or Dmitry Bivol makes more sense than the prolonged wait for long-time divisional rival Canelo Alvarez. ‘The Mexican Monster’s callout of the Mexican icon has now entered boxing folklore. With Alvarez showing no signs of interest in fighting the 168-pound interim champion, it seemed more prudent for Benavidez to test the waters elsewhere.

So, on to the 175-pound division. To announce his arrival, a quick dispatch of Oleksandr Gvozdyk followed. It was time to wait and watch. Either go back home and wait for Canelo Alvarez to accept the mandatory challenge, or face the division’s other big names, such as his namesake David Morrell or Edgar Berlanga. Otherwise, stay back at light middleweight. The division is set for its biggest upheaval when champions Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol finally clash for the undisputed title. So, why not become a mandatory challenger here rather than face a protracted delay at super middleweight, where Canelo Alvarez shows no sign of abdicating his throne anytime soon?

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The landscape of the super middleweight and light heavyweight divisions seems to be settling down, at least for the time being. According to an update posted by talkSPORT’s Michael Benson, David Benavidez has seemingly decided to stay at 175 pounds.

So, he will become the mandatory challenger to the winner of the October 21 Riyadh Season showdown between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. However, the move comes at a price. Currently the WBC’s ‘interim’ super middleweight champion, he will have to relinquish the belt, rendering his status as Canelo Alvarez’s mandatory challenger redundant.

Needless to say, the news has drawn a myriad of reactions from fans and followers. The overall vibe and theme raked of Canelo Alvarez ‘ducking’ Benavidez, thus resulting in such a move from the latter. One fan wrote, “Benavidez vs. Dmitry Bivol would be a good fight! Since it seems we’ll never get Benavidez vs. ducker Canelo.”

But in hindsight, one must consider whether it is a prudent move from ‘The Mexican Monster’.

From what it appears, Canelo Alvarez’s second fight of the year may take place around the Mexican Independence Day weekend. According to available reports, Edgar Berlanga, the WBA’s mandatory challenger, appears the strongest candidate to stand opposite him. So what if the undisputed champ decides to consider a fight with Benavidez? Chances are it may not happen until September 2025. One must consider the ongoing talks about a potential matchup with Terence Crawford under Riyadh Season’s auspices.

So, does it make any sense to stay put and wait for his next payday, risking possible ring rust? Now, as a light heavyweight challenger, he will have to await the outcome of the October 21 clash in Riyadh. Artur Beterbiev is nearing forty. Hence, if he wins, there are chances he might pursue another high-profile fight against a big name such as David Benavidez. That might well be his swan song.

If Dmitry Bivol wins, then, thanks to their sparring sessions, as he stated before, Benavidez knows the fighting style of the Russian-Kyrgyz boxer. Given the confidence he expressed in knocking out Bivol if ever there was a fight, his dream of becoming an undisputed champion could be close enough. The die has been cast. The light heavyweight division is going to witness some high-class, edge-of-the-seat action in the coming months. Perhaps fans might as well be happy with ‘The Mexican Monster’s decision.

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Terence Crawford explains why he prefers to face Canelo over Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis

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Terence Crawford Canelo Alvarez

Terence Crawford could still have his biggest fight ahead of him.

Forty fights into his undefeated boxing career, Crawford doesn’t have much left to prove. This Saturday at a Riyadh Season event in Los Angeles, he moves up to the super welterweight division to fight Israil Madrimov for a vacant WBA title — and after that, he may just move up a couple more weight classes for the right opponent.

That opponent? The great Canelo Alvarez.

During an appearance on The MMA Hour, Crawford was asked what weight class he’d be willing to take on the larger Canelo at, and he didn’t hesitate to give a number.

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“One hundred sixty-eight [pounds],” Crawford said. “If that’s the fight in front of me, then yes.”

Crawford, 36, has spent the majority of his career competing anywhere from 135 to 147 pounds, capturing titles in three divisions along the way, and he targets another with his move to 154 pounds against Madrimov. Jumping up to 168 pounds for a bout with Canelo, 34, would be the heaviest Crawford has ever weighed for a fight, by far.

Undefeated welterweight Jaron “Boots” Ennis also looms as a potential opponent after recently defeating David Avanesyan to retain his IBF title, which was promoted from interim status due to Crawford (since stripped of his share of the IBF title) being expected to rematch Errol Spence Jr. at some point in the future rather than face Ennis.

Unfortunately for Ennis, Crawford would prefer a matchup with Canelo, with the understanding that it would likely require the involvement of Riyadh Season promoter Turki Alalshikh.

“Being where I’m at right now, I’m looking at the fight that makes the most sense. and that’s not ‘Boots,’” Crawford said. “Canelo’s going to bring way more to my legacy, way more to my bank account, because at the end of the day when boxing is done with, what will we have? I want to have a legacy that’s something that people talk about for the ages, and not only that, I want to have a bank account that lasts as well.”

“I think it would be everybody’s choice. Canelo would have to agree, I would have to agree, Turki would have to agree because he’s the one that’s dishing out the money, so a lot of moving parts got to be involved in that fight.”

As for Spence, who Crawford defeated by ninth-round TKO in July 2023, Crawford is still waiting for the call to make their rematch official.

“I didn’t hear anything from Team Spence or his handlers after the fight, so everything just kind of went cold turkey,” Crawford said.

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‘PEOPLE SAY TANK’S DUCKING SHAKUR’ – GERVONTA DAVIS’ TRAINER TARGETS SHAKUR

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Gervonta Davis Shakur Stevenson

Gervonta Davis’ co-trainer, Kenny Ellis, wants to target a fight with Shakur Stevenson following the breakdown in talks with Vasiliy Lomachenko. 

Davis was in talks with Loma for a possible unification in November. Tank holds the WBA belt at 135, while Lomachenko has the IBF Belt. However, Lomachenko will take the rest of the year off, leaving Davis without an opponent. But now, the focus has turned towards Stevenson. Shakur is the WBC champion at 135, which still allows Davis to unify and chase undisputed.

Stevenson is a free agent following his last fight against Artem Harutyunyan. That makes a possible Davis fight much easier, given Shakur is not held down to a network. There is also an issue with rehydration clauses since they both make 135 pounds quite easily. Ellis was hoping to make that fight next.

Fans boo Shakur Stevenson and say he is 'not ready' for Gervonta Davis after 'boring' Edwin De Los Santos win | talkSPORT

READ: LOMACHENKO DUCKS TANK DAVIS – ‘LOMA IS NOT IN THE MOOD RIGHT NOW’

“Still salty about Lomachenko not agreeing to fight Tank. He is straight ducking. Hopefully, Shakur won’t duck. People say Tank’s ducking Shakur, let’s see,” Ellis said

Nevertheless, there are still issues with making this fight. The fight is not as big as it could have been due to Shakur’s recent performances. He was booed during his fight against Edwin De Los Santos. Shakur was fighting on the back foot as he won a unanimous decision. He defended the performance, saying he had an injury coming into the fight. But Shakur’s next performance against Artem also came under fire. Despite Shakur dominating the fight, he failed to stop his opponent.

Some fans were seen walking out of the arena before the last round. There were also some jeers from the crowd, although Shakur put that down to Arem’s reluctance to engage. Shakur is also not a big PPV draw. His style does not resonate with the fans, while Davis has shown he needs a big dance partner to sell. The Ryan Garcia fight sold over 1.2 million PPVs, with a live gate of over $20 million.

 

That was the highest-grossing boxing event in 2023, earning Davis approximately $50 million. The Shakur fight is unlikely to get anywhere near that. However, with legacy on the line, there is a feeling Davis must take that fight to avoid claims that he does not fight top-level opposition. Terence Crawford hoped Shakur could unify the division to shut down his critics.

“I would like to see Shakur Stevenson do exactly what he’s doing now. Keeping his name out there in the media, people are talking about him. I want see him fight the best in the [lightweight] division. [And] I want see him unify the division and shut these guys up who are saying, ‘He’s not this great fighter they think he is’. I want see those guys get in the ring with him,” Crawford said

Crawford is well aware of those struggles. He struggled to make the big fights during his time with Top Rank. He held the WBO title at 147 before leaving to chase the Errol Spence Jr. fight. Bud got the fight and stopped Spence to become the first Undisputed Welterweight Champion of the four-belt era. The win solidified his position as a future Hall-of-Famer. Shakur may need to follow the same blueprint to get his flowers.

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BOXING

TERENCE CRAWFORD KNOCKS OUT WWE WRESTLER

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Terence Crawford on Friday Night SmackDown

Terence Crawford turned up at a WWE event, specifically the Friday Night SmackDown, to knock out one of the sport’s biggest stars. 

The former Undisputed Welterweight Champion is scheduled to take on Israil Madrimov in his next fight. The August 3 clash is part of Riyadh Season’s first fight overseas, as Crawford chases Madrimov’s WBA belt at 154. It is Bud’s first bout at the weight class, as a win makes him a four-division champion. That lines up a potential unification withSebastian Fundora, who holds the WBO and WBC belts.

Fundora has been linked with a fight against Errol Spence Jr., meaning fans could see a Crawford rematch. Alternatively, a win takes Crawford closer to a mega-fight with Canelo Alvarez. The Canelo fight offers Bud the chance to make history and become undisputed in a third weight class. Despite the massive pressure on the fighter, Crawford seemed relaxed as he attended the WWE event. He was alongside his trainer, Brian McIntyre. But it was Crawford who took all the headlines.

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The following clips show Crawford assisting Cody Rhodes by giving him a chair. Rhodes was facing Theory and Waller; Crawford then took things a step further by getting in the ring. He confronted Theory and knocked him out with a huge right hand. The appearance will increase his profile, which is vital for the Madrimov fight. Reports indicate that the venue is struggling to sell out. Despite his achievements, Crawford is not the biggest commercial draw.

His fight with Errol Spence Jr. sold around 700,000 PPVs. Before the Spence fight, Crawford’s highest number of buys was in the 200,000 range. The Spence fight also produced a live gate of over $20 million. However, given Crawford’s WWE appearance, he is increasing his marketability as he aims to become one of the sport’s biggest stars.

Heading into the fight, Madrimov is backing himself to cause an upset. It is Crawford’s first fight in around 13 months. Madrimov is a heavy-handed fighter with an extensive amateur record of 350-20. He has vowed to overpower Crawford when they face off.

“Experience-wise, yes, I have ten professional fights, but it’s a high quality. All ten were WBA fights. All ten were twelve-rounders against stiff opposition. I have more than 200 International amateur fights. So overall, over 300 amateur fights. I have experience fighting everyone around the world.

“The ring will show everything. On August 3rd, you will see everything. We have some things we’ve been watching. We’re not going to talk about it right now. With a lot of fighters, they’re losing before they even step in the ring [with Crawford]. They’re already kind of on the downside [of their careers]. With me, I’m mentally strong,” Madrimov said

But if Bud can replicate the power he showed at the WWE event, then Madrimov will have a tough task. Crawford managed to subdue the much bigger Spence, who was tipped to overpower Crawford. Bud will be hoping to replicate that form again.

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