BY TOOTH AND CRAW
Terence’s great test
TERENCE CRAWFORD wants to be an all-time great. Now he must do something great to achieve that status.
The Omaha switch-hitter is one of the best fighters on the planet. He was undisputed ruler at light-welterweight and now he is also a world champion at 10st 7lb.
This weekend he faces ex-world champion Shawn Porter in a mandatory defence of his WBO welterweight title in Las Vegas.
It is an exciting fight, a chance for the Top Rank-promoted star to finally face one of the bigger names in the division.
Crawford’s list of foes at welter reads Jeff Horn, Jose Benavidez Jnr, Amir Khan, Egidijus Kavaliauskas and Kell Brook.
None of them carry the status needed for him to stake a claim to be pound-for-pound king of the sport.
Khan and Brook were well past their best when he beat them. But Porter, even though he has a loss to Brook on his record, poses more of a threat.
It is not the glittering win Crawford needs, but it is a start.
“I want to be remembered as one of the greats – one of the ones that was on top and set a perfect example for the group coming up behind me,” said Crawford.
“I want them to look up and say, ‘Oh man, Terence Crawford was one of those great fighters.’”
But to do that he must put on a spectacular show this weekend. Porter pushed Errol Spence Jnr all the way in 2019. Crawford must beat him more comfortably.
That won’t be easy but he needs to do it in order to put pressure on WBC and IBF champion Spence to face him.
The American star has spent years searching for big-name opponents, including the recently-retired Manny Pacquiao.
But for boxing politics it may have happened already. There can’t be more excuses now.
Spence is managed by Al Haymon, he is with Premier Boxing Champions. They’re bitter rivals with Top Rank.
But two of Tyson Fury’s fights with Deontay Wilder proved they can work together.
Porter is also with PBC but this fight again shows they can all work together.