Terence Crawford has but to say whether or not he needs to take the time to develop into the undisputed champion at 154. It could doubtless contain the 37-year-old Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) combating Tim Tszyu to seize the IBF title and Sebastian Fundora to win the WBC and WBO belts.
It’s undoubtedly attainable for Crawford to develop into the undisputed champion in a 3rd weight class, nevertheless it’s attainable he must combat three extra occasions to perform that process.
Age Displaying
Does Crawford need to run the gauntlet at 37 to seize the final three belts? I’ve my doubts. He regarded like he was combating at 75% capability in opposition to Israil Madrimov on August third and regarded nothing just like the fighter that had reigned at 147 from 2018 to 2023. The mixture of age, inactivity, and the load enhance to 154 eroded Crawford’s abilities.
His Excellency Turki Alalshikh would doubtless need Crawford to combat WBC interim 154-lb champion Vergil Ortiz Jr. in between the Fundora and Tszyu fights. Beating these three fighters at age 37 or 38 could be a tall order for Crawford.
– Sebastian Fundora
– Tim Tszyu
– Vergil Ortiz Jr.
The Nebraska native Crawford barely beat WBA champion Israil Madrimov in his debut at 154 on August third. He would have misplaced that combat if the Uzbek had been busier within the championship rounds by occurring the assault.
Fundora, Vergil Jr., and Tszyu may have watched the Crawford-Madrimov combat and can guarantee they don’t give these late rounds away by combating passively. The Madrimov combat confirmed that Crawford lacked the identical energy at 154 that he possessed at 147, 140, and 135.
He’s not going to have the ability to out-slug Tszyu, Fundora, or Vergil Jr., and he could be compelled to attempt to beat them utilizing his boxing abilities. It won’t be simple to win a call in opposition to these highly effective and busy fighters with out staying on the transfer for twelve rounds to make it boring.
The Query of Motivation
“If it’s two fights to get all 4 belts, I might see it. If he’s obtained to take an interim combat in between, and that interim combat is Vergil Ortiz. The query is whether or not Terence Crawford needs to combat three extra occasions. I might see him combating two extra occasions,” stated Chris Mannix on his YouTube channel about whether or not Terence Crawford will try and seize the remaining three belts at 154 to develop into a three-division undisputed champion.
“Does he need to combat three extra occasions at age 37?” Mannix continued about Crawford. “He’s been very selective along with his opponents in recent times. He obtained the undisputed at 147 largely as a result of one man [Errol Spence] had these different [three] belts.”
The reply is easy: Crawford not has the ambition to place within the exhausting work to develop into undisputed except all of the belts are held by one fighter, and even then, it’s obtained to be a brilliant well-liked fighter who’ll make him some huge cash. In different phrases, laziness has set in with the Nebraska native, and he’s content material to remain at residence, ready for the money to fall in his lap by the forces of gravity.
Cash because the Driving Pressure
“So, does he need to combat Tim Tszyu? Chase Sebastian Fundora and chase a Vergil Ortiz in between, which might be a really bodily combat. Solely Crawford is aware of the reply to that. Clearly, cash talks. He stated within the ring after the win over Madrimov, ‘It’s in regards to the payday. It’s in regards to the bag. I need to maintain my household now and for future generations.’ If that cash is on the desk, I suppose he does it,” stated Mannix.
The best way Turki was speaking about Crawford solely wanting the Canelo combat, he received’t be keen to run the gauntlet in opposition to the 2 killers to select up the remaining three belts, particularly at age 37, displaying indicators of age and deterioration. You’ll be able to solely think about what the lanky 6’6″ Fundora would do in opposition to an ageing Crawford or a giant puncher like Tszyu. These two could be a pure nightmare for him.
“We noticed Errol Spence contained in the ring after the Tim Tszyu combat. That’s the combat they ideally need,” stated Lance Pugmire about WBC/WBO junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora.
Until Turki presents Fundora some huge cash to combat Crawford first, he’ll select the extra winnable combat in opposition to Errol Spence. The Crawford combat will nonetheless be there if he needs to develop into undisputed at 154.
