By: Sean Crose
Floyd Mayweather wants in on the Terence Crawford business. Now that the undefeated WBO welterweight titlist is making his leave of long time promoter Top Rank, Mayweather wants to guide Crawford’s career along. “I’ve always wanted the best for Terence Crawford,” Mayweather told FightHype, “always, and we spoke on numerous occasions and we got each other’s phone number and hopefully everything plays out like it should. And of course I would love to sign Terence Crawford.”
There’s no doubt that it’s a good time to be in the Crawford business. After essentially beating up the talented Yordenis Ugas last weekend, WBA, IBF, and WBC titlist Spence made it clear that he wants to fight Crawford next for all the belts. This, frankly, is about as big a bout as one can find in the fight game, as both men are titlists, undefeated, and operating in boxing’s glamour division. It’s the kind of situation, frankly, that Mayweather is familiar with. How many times has the man been under such bright lights? And has anyone made more money under those bright lights than Mayweather?
“I want to put fighters in a position to get the lion’s share,” Mayweather said. “Before Floyd Mayweather became a promoter in the sport, the promoters were getting the lion’s share and getting more money than the fighters.” It’s indeed arguable that Mayweather changed the fight game by making himself the primary earner of the money he generated in the ring. Say what you will, the man wasn’t interested in being like countless fighters before him who were bilked of much of the money that belonged in their own pockets.
With or without Mayweather, however, Crawford is now on the road to a big money fight, no doubt the most lucrative and anticipated of his career. Fans have been longing for him and Spence to answer the bell against one another for years. Now it appears the chance is actually upon the fight world. There are talented welterweights not named Crawford and Spence out there, but these two men are all that’s left standing atop the welterweight hill. No doubt Mayweather, who once stood alone at the top of the welterweight hill himself, would love to be involved with the proceedings. Not only does he serve to make a considerable sum of money, he gets to have an active hand in the division he once ruled.