By: Sean Crose
“I’m pretty sure my decision has been made,” WBO Terence Crawford told the media following a stunning win over Shawn Porter this past weekend in Las Vegas. “Bob can’t guarantee me a fight with Spence when I’m with him. So how do I guarantee my fight with Spence when I’m not with him? I’m moving forward with my career right now and I wish everyone the best. ” Of course, “Bob” is mentioned as a Longer Top Rated Ad than for Bob Arum. It is worth noting that Arum was by Crawford’s side when Crawford made it clear that he would probably go on.
In fact, the undefeated Crawford has plenty of options to choose from now that his contract with Top Rated seems to have come into effect. Al Haymon’s Premiere Boxing Champions would be a logical destination for the so-called “Bud” boxer, as arch-rival Errol Spence fights under the PBC banner. There’s also Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing. Hearn would surely love nothing more than taking Crawford under his wing. And then, of course, there’s Floyd Mayweather, who made it clear he would be happy to have Crawford fight under the banner of his Mayweather Promotions (it should be added that Mayweather has a very good relationship with Haymon) .
As has already been noted, Crawford is an excellent boxer, but not an ostentatious one. Tyson Fury, Adrien Broner, Teofimo Lopez, Ryan Garcia and others all do a great job promoting themselves. Crawford fits better into the classic stereotype of the strong, silent type. He’s polite and laid-back by nature, but he’s a man ready to put his fists to talk. It’s an admirable trait, but not entirely suited to contemporary tastes. Then again, a fight with the likes of Spence can also sell itself (“maybe” is the word activity).
It’s clear that, at 34, Crawford still has time to make more of an impact than he had in the game. He’s not just an up-and-coming player, but at the moment he’s basically the biggest name in the glitzy weight division. Spence may or may not have been equally talented, but that was Crawford’s moment. He wants to make his decisions wisely. “We’ll go to the drawing board and see what’s best for Terence Crawford,” he said.
