Terence Crawford refuses to look passed Egidijus Kavaliauskas!
WBO welterweight champion Terence “Bud” Crawford (35-0, 26KO) isn’t looking passed his mandatory in Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas (21-0-1, 17KO). The two will face off on December 14 at the famous Madison Square Garden Arena, New York.
The pound for pound fighter from Nebraska is laser focused on the current task at hand. In a recent interview with TMZ sports, when asked about a future bout with unified champion Errol “The Truth” Spence, he quickly interjected.
“Mean Machine, that’s where I am at. You can’t look forward, the fight hasn’t happened yet.”
The interviewer would then ask if the Spence fight was something the WBO champion cared about in the future. His reply was,
“We shall see.”
In regards to reports of the unified champion’s high profile car accident, high praise was given to Crawford for reaching out to a fellow brother of the sport.
“I felt like boxing as a whole is a family. When one fighter or fellow fighter gets hurt or injured in a serious way, we all come together to wish that person and his family well.”
Crawford is absolutely right in both statements and it is the reason why he is one of the more popular fighters in the sport. Fighters should never overlook their opponent. It shouldn’t matter if they are unknown or how relatively weak their resume appears.
This is a sport where upsets happen. Where fighters have raised their game to the next level when that opportunity knocks. Where fighters are hungry to step out of the shadows of obscurity, announcing themselves to the boxing community.
Even the latter statement is true. Boxing is a brotherhood amongst fighters. At one point they have either faced each other in the amateurs or have crossed paths in some fashion.
This is why fighters are never shocked when they hear something about a fellow warrior or have some insight on one another.
The squared circle is where most bonds in this sport have been forged. There are countless stories of guys sharing the field of battle.
Whether in the gym or in the professional ranks, respect is earned and friendships evolve!
By: Garrisson Bland
