Bud Crawford Fight Tonight
The Uzbek carries real threat and power in both hands and is a smart fighter capable of exploiting an off-night from Crawford if the latter is guilty of looking past him and to greater riches down the line against the likes of Canelo.
The Porter matchup is an opportunity for Crawford to get that signature victory in the division that his résumé is missing. For Porter, this is a chance to regain the title against a pound-for-pound fighter, and show he's still one of the best fighter at 147 pounds.
"Shawn Porter said it's not for the promoters to decide," Arum said. "He said if he and Crawford decide to fight each other they'll tell us and then the promoters will follow the fighters' wishes. That's where I stand. Let Crawford and Porter, who are very good friends and great fighters, talk. If they want to fight, Al and I will make the fight."
Round 3: The jab from Crawford again. Three-punch combo backs Madrimov up. Quality jab again from Crawford. Right jab again and again. It's smart boxing from both sides but it's not crowd-friendly. Crawford scores a left uppercut out of the southpaw stance. NICE! Jab scores from Madrimov... and a right. Crowd booing. Madrimov scores a solid jab, his best punch so far.
Round 1: Moran comes out firing with the jab. Slips while evading a Cruz jab but on his feet while Cruz turns more aggressive. But now it’s Moran stalking as the round comes to a close. Moran 10, Cruz 9.
When Bernie finally flipped the cadets off Bud, he stripped down on the side of the ring. He was practically bursting out of a white T-shirt, the sweat illustrating his cut up physique. Once he was fitted, he wrapped his hands by himself, alone in the corner of a ring in the middle of the gym. The way he worked, you would think he was an upstart, not 39-0 and arguably the best fighter the world has seen under 150 pounds since Mayweather.
BoMac and the boys warned me. This time of day, there were bears roaming around the mountain, big enough that this lil’ Toyota wouldn’t protect us from much. They’d been on high alert already, during the stay some bears snooped inside the garage and shook the outside refrigerator, spooking some of the folks in the camp house to the point coaches started carrying their pistols as they walked to the car at night, just in case the bears came back.
"That’s pretty much all it was with me and Errol Spence," Bud said. "I wanted to fight, and he wanted to fight. But, business-wise, it was best that he fight the guys over there and make the most of what he could make over there without fighting me. I was just one fighter. He fought all those guys prior to me that led him to get more recognition, led him to become the A-side, led him to become a unified division welterweight champion and had me over here with one belt searching for a mega fight."
In front of a raucous hometown crowd, Crawford floored David Avanesyan with a sixth-round TKO on Saturday at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska. A left uppercut followed by a textbook right put Avanesyan on his back, quickly prompting the end of a tricky fight for Crawford.
Porter presses forward to start the round and lands a clean jab up top. Check hook makes contact for Crawford. Porter gets in and wants to work his free hand until the referee breaks it. Porter lands a good right hook that his trainer was asking for. Jab lands clean for Crawford this time. Both fighters trade and Porter gets off more punches on the inside as Crawford tries to tie up. Crawford lands a body shot with his left hand to end the round.
Madrimov’s odd movement seems to be vexing Crawford. Still looking tentative. terrence crawford next fight opens up, strikes with a jab, but it’s Madrimov who’s mostly dictating the action. Crawford closes strong with body shots. Crawford 58, Madrimov 56.
"Bud" won the first eight rounds on all three scorecards before he dropped Horn in Round 9. Horn was up before the count of 10, but Crawford teed off on the Australian, which prompted referee Robert Byrd to halt the beatdown.
As round after round rolled over, Bud poked his bottom lip out further. He blankly shook his head. He was displeased. More. He wanted more of it. His hooks started to shake the ring. His uppercuts slashed the air with erratic gusts of wind. The flurries felt unending, like he could be here all night without sleep if he had to. When the last bell finally sounded, Bud flexed his arms into the shape of a rifle.
"I’m totally focused on staying at 135 pounds because it’s where I feel strongest and most comfortable," Cruz said. "I just want to give everyone watching a great show. I’ve made a connection with the fans because I showed that I’m not afraid to fight the best. I have no fear, just resolve."
So, the jovial nature they’ve built here was intentional. Bud had been to hell and back, from the bottom of Omaha to the top of the world, all while maintaining the slow-talkin’, good-natured mannerisms that could’ve been lost to the cruelties of his comeuppance.