By: Hans Themistode
Terence Crawford gets a lot of respect. And why shouldn’t he?
He currently holds an undefeated record through 36 career fights, he’s also won world titles in three different weight classes including the Welterweight division.
In short, there isn’t a credible pound for pound list that doesn’t have his name near the top of it. But with that being said, he does receive a ton of criticism as well.
Crawford may have 12 years of experience under his belt, but he doesn’t seem to have that signature moment as of yet.
You know what those are right? A coming out party of sorts. All of his contemporaries have them and that doesn’t sit well with Crawford.
Before unified Welterweight champ Errol Spence Jr became a pound for pound star, he had his own signature moment. That of course came in 2017 when Spence traveled to Kell Brooks backyard in Sheffield England to strip him of his IBF title. Shawn Porter had his moment in 2013, when he won his own title against former champion Devon Alexander. Danny Garcia’s came one year earlier in 2012 at the expense of Amir Khan.
There is no need in repeating everyone’s signature moment. The point is, the majority of elite level fighters have them. Crawford however, does not.
Without facing eye catching opposition, the fans have made it loud and clear that Crawford needs to step up. The criticism aimed in his direction isn’t a huge issue though. Just make it fair.
“I want all the fights that the fans want to see me in,” Crawford said. “It’s not in my power or in my hands to actually make those fights happen. So, the only thing I can do is fight the fights that’s in front of me. And by me doing that, I get a lot of negativity and backlash on the opponents that I’m fighting. Then people say, ‘Oh, well, he’s not fighting nobody.’ Or, He’s fighting this guy, he’s fighting that guy.”
“But at the same time, nobody talks about the fighters that other fighters fight. You know, and that just shows the caliber of fighter that I am, to make a good fighter look average and for the media and the people to downgrade the fighters that I’m fighting, because I’m that good.”
Fights with Danny Garcia, Shawn Porter and Keith Thurman are a fight fans dream. But a unification matchup with Spence is on the minds of just about everyone. It’s on Crawford’s mind too, but more so towards the bac.
“I don’t even wanna entertain that fight anymore, basically for the purposes of waiting until when he come back,” Crawford said. “You know, a lot of people blame me for not getting the fight made, when I have no control to get the fight made.”
Spence vs Crawford has a Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao feel to it. That matchup of course, took place several years too late. Spence and Crawford still have a bit more time left on the clock before it becomes painfully clear that it won’t happen. But while the fans have collectively crossed their fingers in the hopes that it does happen, Crawford could care less.
“Maybe we will,” Crawford said. “Maybe we won’t.”
