For Crawford tonight is the real acid test

TERENCE CRAWFORD is a special fighter, one of the best combination punchers I have ever seen.

And he is ruthless once he smells blood. But is he the pound-for-pound rival for Saul Canelo Alvarez that many believe?

I certainly put him in that conversation. What he has lacked is an acid test... until now, that is. Shawn Porter provides the biggest challenge of Crawford’s career in Las Vegas tonight.

Porter is a very committed fighter. Though Errol Spence had him down in his split-decision victory he could not get him out of there, and one judge even had Porter (below) the winner.

Porter is in your face, aggressive, a mauler swinging from every angle. His determination is greater than his skill but it makes a world-class fighter.

I remember watching him against James DeGale in the amateurs. DeGale won by moving around him.

Crawford (top) will approach this the same way. He will try to mesmerise with angles and speed and then, as Porter tires, sit down on his shots and try to shift him.

That’s the plan at least. But he has not been in with a fighter of Porter’s grit and intestinal fortitude.

Moreover, Porter has been in deep against a higher standard of opponent than Crawford has faced.

Though Porter lost to their only common foe, it was a peak, unbeaten Kell Brook he faced seven years ago. Brook was a shell of the fighter he was when he met Crawford this time last year.

So this is a chance to see how Crawford shapes up against a guy who does not go away. This should answer any questions that remain about him.

The fight we really want to see is Crawford versus Spence. But this will certainly do while we wait for the latter’s injured left eye to heal.

Crawford is slight at only 5ft 8in. Porter is short but has the physique of a super middle, broad and muscular.

Indeed, as an amateur Porter outpointed the current unified heavyweight champion of the world, Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk, no less, at 165lb.

In these important fights size matters. That is why I have my doubts that Crawford can do to Porter what no one else has in 35 bouts, end it early.

If he does then we will have to re-evaluate Crawford’s standing in the all-time list.