11-14-2020, 10:47 AM
Terence Crawford: I am going to do me
By Miguel Maravilla
The top pound for pound fighter in the world is back this weekend as Nebraska’s WBO welterweight champion Terence “Bud” Crawford (36-0, 27 KO’s) will take on former world champion Kell Brook (39-2, 27 KO’s) of England. Crawford squares off against Brook, Saturday night at the “Bubble” at MGM Grand in Las Vegas live on ESPN.
“Training is great this camp. Everything is going according to plan. We plan on looking spectacular come Saturday,” Terence Crawford told media. “I’m sharp as a razor right now,”
Crawford’s last fight was nearly a year ago as he stopped Egidijus Kavauliuskas in eleven rounds last December and prior to that fight a sixth-round stoppage over former world champion Amir Khan. When asked if the inactivity would affect him for this Saturday.
“Not at all. I feel good and strong. I can fight at the end of the day. Being out of the ring is not going to affect me in any way shape or form,” Crawford said.
His opponent, Brook made a splash in the summer of 2014 as he captured the IBF welterweight title by edging out Shawn Porter via majority decision. Defending his title three times before moving up two divisions to middleweight as he was stopped by Gennady Golovkin in leaving it all in the ring. In his next fight Brook was stopped by Errol Spence in relinquishing the IBF welterweight title.
“Kell Brook has fought a lot of good opponents. I’m not focused or worried about what he brings to the table. I will adjust to whatever he brings,” Crawford on Brook. “He hasn’t fought anyone like me. He can say, I never fought anyone like him. I’m not worried about what people are saying that he is washed up. We are preparing for the best Kell Brook,” Crawford added.
Since the two defeats. Brook has won three consecutive fights and is coming off a seventh round KO over Mark Deluca early this year in February.
“I didn’t get to see his last fight,” Crawford said about Brook’s last fight.
During the virtual conference, a reporter told the champ that Brook vowed to stop or knock him out. Crawford responded.
“Let’s see. Words don’t mean nothing. He will have to live up to them words. He is supposed to feel that way. He is not the only opponent believing they are going to knock me out. It’s nothing new for me,” Crawford said. “I am fighting him. That is all that matters. If he feels that I haven’t fought anyone at 147 or have no credibility than it should be a cakewalk for him,”
There was some buzz about a potential showdown between Crawford and Manny Pacquiao. That fight however never came through as Crawford is promoted by Top Rank and Pacquiao by PBC. For now, Crawford will settle for the Englishman and former world champion Brook.
“He was never on my radar. This is a fight he wanted. Once the Pacquiao fight fell through. He was the next option. I must have been on his radar. We are fighting this weekend and that’s what it is,” Crawford said. “I will get in the ring and sense my opponent. Once we are in the ring, I am going to do me. If the knockout comes or if not, I’ll be prepared to go 12 rounds,”
A win here for Crawford will add Brook to the list of fighters he’s defeated. Winning his first world title over Ricky Burns, Crawford traveled across the pond to Scotland defeating Ricky Burns for the WBO lightweight title. Moving up to super lightweight, Crawford piled wins over Thomas Dulorme, Viktor Postol, and Julius Indongo in becoming the unified super lightweight champion. Then picked up the WBO welterweight title in stopping Jeff Horn back in 2018.
“Kell is a former champion. If I win, I wouldn’t say that is my biggest win. I’d say my biggest win was against Jeff Horn because he was coming off the Pacquiao win,” Crawford said.
It’s no secret, with a Crawford win there will definitely be an uproar for a showdown with IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. who is slated to take on Danny Garcia next month. In what is the most anticipated fight in the welterweight division Crawford and Spence could find themselves determining who is the best welterweight.
“I really never felt that I need Errol Spence for my legacy or career. I have accomplished so much that I don’t need him. If that fight don’t happen, I really don’t feel it would hurt my legacy. Just the legacy of the welterweight division,”
Saturday night Crawford looks to handle his business and prove why he is considered the best pound for pound.
“I’m looking forward to this weekend. Watch out for a great show. I’m looking to give a great performance,” Crawford stated. “I just want to show everyone, I’m the best. Prove all the doubters wrong and that I’m the best fighter in the world,”
By Miguel Maravilla
The top pound for pound fighter in the world is back this weekend as Nebraska’s WBO welterweight champion Terence “Bud” Crawford (36-0, 27 KO’s) will take on former world champion Kell Brook (39-2, 27 KO’s) of England. Crawford squares off against Brook, Saturday night at the “Bubble” at MGM Grand in Las Vegas live on ESPN.
“Training is great this camp. Everything is going according to plan. We plan on looking spectacular come Saturday,” Terence Crawford told media. “I’m sharp as a razor right now,”
Crawford’s last fight was nearly a year ago as he stopped Egidijus Kavauliuskas in eleven rounds last December and prior to that fight a sixth-round stoppage over former world champion Amir Khan. When asked if the inactivity would affect him for this Saturday.
“Not at all. I feel good and strong. I can fight at the end of the day. Being out of the ring is not going to affect me in any way shape or form,” Crawford said.
His opponent, Brook made a splash in the summer of 2014 as he captured the IBF welterweight title by edging out Shawn Porter via majority decision. Defending his title three times before moving up two divisions to middleweight as he was stopped by Gennady Golovkin in leaving it all in the ring. In his next fight Brook was stopped by Errol Spence in relinquishing the IBF welterweight title.
“Kell Brook has fought a lot of good opponents. I’m not focused or worried about what he brings to the table. I will adjust to whatever he brings,” Crawford on Brook. “He hasn’t fought anyone like me. He can say, I never fought anyone like him. I’m not worried about what people are saying that he is washed up. We are preparing for the best Kell Brook,” Crawford added.
Since the two defeats. Brook has won three consecutive fights and is coming off a seventh round KO over Mark Deluca early this year in February.
“I didn’t get to see his last fight,” Crawford said about Brook’s last fight.
During the virtual conference, a reporter told the champ that Brook vowed to stop or knock him out. Crawford responded.
“Let’s see. Words don’t mean nothing. He will have to live up to them words. He is supposed to feel that way. He is not the only opponent believing they are going to knock me out. It’s nothing new for me,” Crawford said. “I am fighting him. That is all that matters. If he feels that I haven’t fought anyone at 147 or have no credibility than it should be a cakewalk for him,”
There was some buzz about a potential showdown between Crawford and Manny Pacquiao. That fight however never came through as Crawford is promoted by Top Rank and Pacquiao by PBC. For now, Crawford will settle for the Englishman and former world champion Brook.
“He was never on my radar. This is a fight he wanted. Once the Pacquiao fight fell through. He was the next option. I must have been on his radar. We are fighting this weekend and that’s what it is,” Crawford said. “I will get in the ring and sense my opponent. Once we are in the ring, I am going to do me. If the knockout comes or if not, I’ll be prepared to go 12 rounds,”
A win here for Crawford will add Brook to the list of fighters he’s defeated. Winning his first world title over Ricky Burns, Crawford traveled across the pond to Scotland defeating Ricky Burns for the WBO lightweight title. Moving up to super lightweight, Crawford piled wins over Thomas Dulorme, Viktor Postol, and Julius Indongo in becoming the unified super lightweight champion. Then picked up the WBO welterweight title in stopping Jeff Horn back in 2018.
“Kell is a former champion. If I win, I wouldn’t say that is my biggest win. I’d say my biggest win was against Jeff Horn because he was coming off the Pacquiao win,” Crawford said.
It’s no secret, with a Crawford win there will definitely be an uproar for a showdown with IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. who is slated to take on Danny Garcia next month. In what is the most anticipated fight in the welterweight division Crawford and Spence could find themselves determining who is the best welterweight.
“I really never felt that I need Errol Spence for my legacy or career. I have accomplished so much that I don’t need him. If that fight don’t happen, I really don’t feel it would hurt my legacy. Just the legacy of the welterweight division,”
Saturday night Crawford looks to handle his business and prove why he is considered the best pound for pound.
“I’m looking forward to this weekend. Watch out for a great show. I’m looking to give a great performance,” Crawford stated. “I just want to show everyone, I’m the best. Prove all the doubters wrong and that I’m the best fighter in the world,”