Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford is widely regarded as the most complete fighter on the planet, becoming a two-division undisputed king and amassing 41 professional victories with relative ease.
Not only is he one of the purest boxers in the sport, but the 37-year-old also possesses a ruthless killer instinct, boasting a 75 percent knockout ratio.
Aside from his obvious talent and formidable skill, though, the American’s superiority across four weight classes makes him one of the most decorated operators on the pound-for-pound list.
And yet, while the majority of fans expected Errol Spence Jr to deliver his toughest test last year, Terence Crawford produced an awe-inspiring ninth-round stoppage to silence his detractors.
Terence Crawford explains why Egidijus Kavaliauskas was his toughest opponent
Despite extending his flawless record, ‘Bud’ was forced to muster every ounce of strength in his last outing against Israil Madrimov.
Many believe that this was Crawford’s toughest assignment, given that the former lightweight champion was up against a true 154 lb titlist.
Not only did the size difference play a significant factor, but Madrimov’s versatile skillset allowed him to enjoy ample pockets of success against the masterful technician.
And so, while Crawford ultimately edged a unanimous decision to claim the WBA strap, many believe that his opponent had done enough to emerge victorious.
Yet still, the Nebraskan remains convinced that his toughest test arrived back in 2019, when he locked horns with Egidijus ‘Mean Machine’ Kavaliauskas.
While he floored his opponent three times en route to a ninth-round stoppage, Crawford was forced to pick himself off the canvas in the third round following a destructive overhand right from ‘Mean Machine.’
“I just think that me fighting the wrong style made it tough, even though I got the stoppage,” Crawford said during his interview with Froch On Fighting.
“If you watch that fight, he hit me more than any of my other opponents. Like, Madrimov hit me with right hands here and there, but Egidijus was hitting me with hooks, right hands – we was in there really fighting.
“Madrimov was just smart, and I could feel his size, but I felt like I was stronger than him.”
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Terence Crawford still wants the Canelo Alvarez fight
Despite having little left to prove, Crawford remains eager to further cement his greatness by taking on super middleweight king Canelo Alvarez.
Sure enough, boxing power broker Turki Alalshikh has expressed an interest in the possible matchup, wishing to develop a line of communication with Alvarez.
But still, Crawford knows all too well that the potential mega fight may not materialize, and has therefore opened the door to other opportunities in his division.