Bob Arum says that Terence Crawford’s next fight will be huge!
There’s no doubting that Terence Crawford (37-0, 28 KOs) is one of the elite fighters in the sports Some fans and pundits even rate the 33-year-old from Omaha, Nebraska as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world!
However, that doesn’t mean the man nicknamed “Bud” is not without his critics. At lightweight and junior welterweight, he ruled the roost. In August of 2017, he became the undisputed junior welterweight champion. The first since Hall of Fame Inductee Kostya Tszyu defeated Zab Judah to add the IBF title with WBA and WBC back in November 2001.
But at Welterweight, that has not been the case. He defeated Jeff Horn to win the WBO title in June of 2018. “Bud” has made four defenses of the belt and dominating each time out. Problem is since winning the title, his list of opponents have been underwhelming.
His defenses include faded ex-world champions Amir Khan and Kell Brook as well as inferior contenders Jose Benavidez and Egidijus Kavaliauskas. These wins have not moved the needle especially given what “other” top fighters in the division have accomplished. Voices are growing louder and louder for Crawford to engage in a match against a big-name opponent at welterweight. After all, this is a “what have you done for me lately” type of sport. In truth, his resume as a welterweight has been drier than the The Mojave Desert.
During an interview on the Barbershop Conversations, Crawford’s promoter Bob Arum was asked about the next move for the WBO champion. The Top Rank Promotions chairman hinted that a big fight for Crawford is coming very soon.
“There’s going to be an announcement within the week on Bud Crawford’s next fight. I can’t reveal it now, but it will be a major fight. There’s a date, a place, but I’m not at liberty to discuss it at this time. This is a big deal. This is not just any old fight. This is a big deal.”
Arum refused to disclose an opponent but did say that it will be a pay-per-view event. It’s the type of news that fans have wanted to hear regarding the man from Omaha.
While Crawford has toiled around at welterweight fighting the likes of Khan and Brook, Errol Spence Jr has gone on to become unified IBF/WBC champion. He achieved this fighting the toughest in the division such as Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia. While they both share Kell Brook as an opponent, the version of Brook that Spence fought had much more gas left in the tank than the version that fought Crawford.
A showdown between Crawford and Spence is the big fight in the division. Former title holders Porter and Keith Thurman have publicly called for a fight against the Nebraskan. As well as WBA champion Yordenis Ugas. However, following Crawford’s stoppage win over Brook in November 2020, Bob Arum mentioned negotiations for a fight against Manny Pacquiao.
Folks will know for sure what’s upcoming for Bud when the announcement is made. In the meantime, we can only ponder and speculate. Porter would seem to be a prime choice. He’s the #1 welterweight contender by the WBO. He’s also stated that if he had a choice of opponents, it would be Crawford.
Whether this “big deal” fight for Crawford is Porter, Thurman, or even Pacquiao, it’s time for the WBO champ to step it up as a welterweight. Stay tuned to 3KingsBoxing for the latest developments and further updates.
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
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