In a surprising turn, Terence Crawford, formerly reserved about clashing with the 135-lb titleholder Gervonta Davis, now exhibits enthusiasm to go head-to-head, provided Davis moves up a considerable 12 lbs to meet him at 147.
If Crawford had refrained from playing the ‘Hobgoblin negotiator’, there might have been opportunities to secure some lucrative bouts before drawing the curtains on his career.
Canelo Alvarez, without a doubt, would relish a match against Crawford at 168, not to mention potential face-offs with David Benavidez, David Morrell Jr., and Caleb Plant. However, Crawford’s lofty claims of being boxing’s crown jewel seem misplaced, especially when he’s suggesting an audacious bout with Davis at 147, sidestepping the reasonable catchweight of 138 to 140.
By sticking to 147 for a showdown with ‘Tank’ Davis (29-0, 27 KOs), Crawford intriguingly neglects the logical midpoint catchweight between 135 & 147. Essentially, he’s positioning himself as the leading party, dictating terms to Davis. A similar approach was observed in his dealings with Canelo Alvarez, proposing a match at 158-lb, significantly lower than Alvarez’s regular weight.
The audacity with which Crawford pitches these bouts, deeming himself the decision-maker, resonates with the overconfidence displayed by Andy Ruiz Jr., who aimed high against titans like Deontay Wilder.
Crawford commented to the BreakfastClubAM about the potential Davis bout, “No offence to Tank, but there’s a hierarchy. If he believes he’s going to knock me out, he’s in for a surprise. I’d firmly remain at 147 lbs for that bout; it’s a ticket to wealth. But I know I won’t be applauded for it. Tank, standing at 5’5″, is a tad on the shorter side.”
Following his triumph over an arguably depleted Errol Spence Jr., Crawford seems to have acquired a heightened sense of self-worth. His aspirations of big-name fights may be far-fetched. While a rematch with Spence, thanks to existing rematch clauses, is on the cards, dream matches against heavyweights like Jermell Charlo, Canelo, or Tank might remain just that—dreams.
As Chris Williams evaluates the trajectory, Crawford’s future might not see these anticipated marquee matches. Instead, his ring encounters could be against the likes of Brian Mendoza, Sebastian Fundora or Erickson Lubin.
