THROUGHOUT his career the standard of opponent has often been used as the stick to jab at Terence Crawford.
On Saturday, his 40th fight, Crawford will fight the toughest opponent of his career to date. Errol Spence Jr. A win will see the legacy and record of ‘Bud’ go to new heights knowing that history will treat him kindly.
Spence chose to pick holes in Crawford’s résumé during the two-date press conference which encapsulated their rivalry perfectly. However, as the adage goes you can only beat what is put in front of you.
In this feature Boxing News brings you what we believe to be the five best performances in the career so far of Terence “Bud” Crawford.
- TERENCE CRAWFORD v Ricky Burns (March 1, 2014, Glasgow, Scotland)
The beginning of Crawford on the world stage. Scotland’s winter weather and the hot reception inside the Scottish Exhibition Centre did nothing to affect the American. Burns was game as always and applied pressure, but Crawford was never in any danger of losing. Superior in every department and ice cool throughout.
- TERENCE CRAWFORD v Shawn Porter (November 20, 2021, Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, USA)
Porter gave Spence a hard night’s work four years ago. And what ‘Showtime’ had left for Crawford was finished off in marksman style. Porter’s bull-like aggression was countered by the matador early on and in round 10 Crawford landed a stunning right then left hook to end the fight and the career of Porter.
- TERENCE CRAWFORD v Jose Benavidez Jr (October 13, 2018, CHI Health Centre, Omaha, USA)
Not many people get on the wrong side of Crawford, but Benavidez Jr did. A fiery build-up gave Bud a chance to come out and show his mean streak in front of his home supporters. The challenger couldn’t cope with the pace, or the level Crawford was operating at. In the final session a straight left and short, right uppercut finished the overmatched Benavidez.
- TERENCE CRAWFORD v Yuriorkis Gamboa (June 28, 2014, Century Link Centre, Omaha, USA)
Crawford’s homecoming three months after his triumph in Scotland. Gamboa was once dubbed the next big thing, but Crawford showed the Cuban what world class looks like. “El Ciclon” was tamed and put down in the fifth, eighth and twice in the ninth round when the fight was waved off. That’s how you do a homecoming.
- TERENCE CRAWFORD v Julius Indongo (August 19, 2017, Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, USA)
Less than 10 minutes was needed for Crawford to become the official king of the 140lbs division. Indongo had triumphed in Russia and Scotland but in the land of Bud he was a man caught in the middle of an unstoppable mission. A left hook to the body in round three was the end of Indongo’s fairytale. Crawford supplied the dose of reality.
