Crowley ready to go up against a champ
Undefeated Douro boxer’s next opponent will be one of four top fighters.
Cody Crowley’s next fight will be a major step up in class against either a world champion or former world champion.
Crowley’s management team presented four names to Premier Boxing Champions for its promotional partner TGB Promotions to negotiate with for his 20th professional bout.
Two of them — Yordenis Ugas and Jamal James — are current world champions and the other two — Keith Thurman and Adrien Broner — are former world champions with more marquee names, said Crowley’s manager Stephen Nelson.
Crowley, 27, a Douro native, improved to 19-0 with nine knockouts in his PBC debut Sept. 6 in Los Angeles with a lopsided 10-round decision over New Mexico’s Josh Torres. It was Crowley’s U.S. television debut on Fox Sports 1.
“PBC was very impressed with Cody,” said Nelson. “When we signed (a four-fight) deal with them there was a discussion that we could keep building at this level of fighter or we could move up. Everyone agreed it was time for Cody to move up in the world of boxing.”
Nelson said they’ve been promised a fight before the end of 2020. The broadcast details and location are to be determined.
Nelson said the Thurman and Broner fights would be more lucrative but are going to be more difficult to negotiate.
“Cody wants to get the biggest fight out there,” said Nelson. “The two biggest names on our list are Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman, both former world champions. Both fights are probably the most difficult to make. Both of these guys in their last fight, both being more than a year ago, were against Manny Pacquiao where they made a whole lot of money. They both lost but the money they got is more than they’ve ever received before and there’s nowhere close to that amount of money to be made under this COVID-19 situation. They both say they want to fight so if they want to fight they’re going to have to come down to reality. We’re willing to step up and fight both.”
Although Ugas and James hold world titles, they would be for less money but are more likely to agree to fight Crowley, said Nelson.
“They would be less lucrative but winning a world title would springboard Cody into major opportunities,” he said.
“If our backup works out and it’s not our first choice it’s not a bad situation to become a world champion.”
Ugas, 34, won the World Boxing Association world welterweight title in the main event of the Sept. 6 card Crowley appeared on. Ugas won a split decision over Abel Ramos to improve to 26-4 with 12 KO’s. The five-foot-nine Cuban was also a world amateur champion.
Crowley and Ugas are familiar with each other. They’ve sparred on several occasions and Crowley’s team say he’s got the better of Ugas in the gym.
James, 32, won the WBA interim welterweight title in August with a unanimous 12-round decision over Thomas Dulorme. The six-foottwo native of Minneapolis, Minn., boasts a 27-1 record with 12 KO’s.
Thurman, 31, may be the most accomplished of the potential opponents having held the WBA, World Boxing Council and International Boxing Association world welterweight titles. He has a 29-1 record with one no contest and 22 KO’s. Among his wins are names like Danny Garcia and Shawn Porter. Garcia is scheduled to fight WBC and International Boxing Federation world welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. in December. Thurman’s only loss was in his last fight July 20, 2019 when he dropped a split-decision to Pacquiao.
Broner, 31, is also a well-known name. He’s a former WBA welterweight and super lightweight champion with a 33-4-1 record and 24 KO’s. The five-foot-six Cincinnati native’s last fight was a Jan. 19, 2019 decision loss to Pacquiao.