Terence Crawford‘s career proves he never avoided a mandatory or tough opponent, with promotional politics—not fear—blocking the sport’s biggest fights.
He said this on a podcast earlier and defended his fearless approach to taking on all comers.
He did on the balance of things, overall, some notes on this;
- Crawford fought every mandatory challenger required of him throughout his career
- He stepped up two weight classes to face Canelo Alvarez despite being a significant underdog
- He dominated Errol Spence Jr. when the fight finally materialized, proving he wanted it
- Promoter Bob Arum stated Crawford “never ducked an opponent” during his entire Top Rank tenure
- Crawford fought PBC fighters like Shawn Porter even while signed to rival Top Rank
- The Spence fight was blocked by promotional politics, not Crawford’s avoidance
- Crawford publicly called out the business barriers that kept welterweight fights from happening
- He fought Kavaliauskas as a mandatory challenger when few wanted that risk
- Crawford left Top Rank specifically because it couldn’t secure the Spence fight
- He stated no manager, promoter, or advisor can claim he ever turned down a fight presented to him
Overall, Bud did the opposite of some fighters like Shakur Stevenson, he fought everyone he could.
And even in divisions far above his usual division in the sport.
He hasn’t been the best analyst in the sport since retiring and is saying never say never on a comeback also earlier.
That is the first time he has actually said that since retiring.
You have to think if he is saying that already a comeback is already in his mind at this point.
A Ryan Garcia v Terence Crawford fight is something that might tempt Bud and is there immediately even you’d have to think.
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