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Terence Crawford’s inability to land a big fight evidently is weighing on him.
Brian McIntyre, the welterweight titleholder’s trainer and manager, told Boxing Junkie that he plans to put pressure on Crawford’s promoter to get him in the ring with a high-profile opponent. That includes the stable of 147-pounders at Premier Boxing Champions, a rival of Top Rank.
“I will lay into Top Rank and ESPN to make the big fights happen,” McIntyre said. “Starting off with any of those guys over at PBC.”
The talented three-division world champion from Omaha, Nebraska is one of the best fighters in the world but is also a casualty of the political fragmentation that is preventing the best matchups from taking place. His next fight reportedly is set for December 14 against Lithuanian Egidijus Kavaliauskas, a decent, but uninspiring opponent.
Crawford, who turns 32 later this month, simply doesn’t have enough options because his most logical opponents – Danny Garcia, Manny Pacquiao, Shawn Porter, Errol Spence and Keith Thurman – all fight for PBC, which doesn’t need Crawford to stage compelling 147-pound fights. For example, Spence is scheduled to fight Porter on September 28. And the rival companies, which are aligned with different TV networks, generally don’t work together.
On top of that, last year, Crawford re-signed a multiyear deal with Top Rank, which is rumored to pay him more than $3 million per fight. That has left him on an island by himself.
Nevertheless, McIntyre remains optimistic that a deal can be struck for Crawford to fight a PBC welterweight because there are precedents. The best example is the rematch between Tyson Fury (Top Rank) and Deontay Wilder (PBC), which is tentatively penciled in for February. And, according to McIntyre, Top Rank and PBC are discussing a possible matchup between Vasiliy Lomachenko (Top Rank) and Gervonta Davis (PBC).
McIntyre believes Crawford will get his big fights in 2020.
“Obviously, it can’t be that bad (between Top Rank and PBC) because they got Wilder and Fury fighting (each other),” McIntyre said. “(And) there are talks about Gervonta Davis and Loma(chenko). I know that for a fact.”
Meanwhile, Crawford will have to live with the perception that his talent is being wasted. Promoter Eddie Hearn recently ridiculed Bob Arum, Top Rank’s CEO, for keeping Crawford idle for so long this year. It will be eight months out of the ring should Crawford fight in December.
McIntyre shrugged off Hearn’s remark.
“Bud could have been in the ring before then, but we passed on a few dates,” he said. “Bud’s birthday is on the 28th (of September), so he wanted to enjoy some time with his family and travel. So the next date available date was December 14.”
Brian McIntyre, the welterweight titleholder’s trainer and manager, told Boxing Junkie that he plans to put pressure on Crawford’s promoter to get him in the ring with a high-profile opponent. That includes the stable of 147-pounders at Premier Boxing Champions, a rival of Top Rank.
“I will lay into Top Rank and ESPN to make the big fights happen,” McIntyre said. “Starting off with any of those guys over at PBC.”
The talented three-division world champion from Omaha, Nebraska is one of the best fighters in the world but is also a casualty of the political fragmentation that is preventing the best matchups from taking place. His next fight reportedly is set for December 14 against Lithuanian Egidijus Kavaliauskas, a decent, but uninspiring opponent.
Crawford, who turns 32 later this month, simply doesn’t have enough options because his most logical opponents – Danny Garcia, Manny Pacquiao, Shawn Porter, Errol Spence and Keith Thurman – all fight for PBC, which doesn’t need Crawford to stage compelling 147-pound fights. For example, Spence is scheduled to fight Porter on September 28. And the rival companies, which are aligned with different TV networks, generally don’t work together.
On top of that, last year, Crawford re-signed a multiyear deal with Top Rank, which is rumored to pay him more than $3 million per fight. That has left him on an island by himself.
Nevertheless, McIntyre remains optimistic that a deal can be struck for Crawford to fight a PBC welterweight because there are precedents. The best example is the rematch between Tyson Fury (Top Rank) and Deontay Wilder (PBC), which is tentatively penciled in for February. And, according to McIntyre, Top Rank and PBC are discussing a possible matchup between Vasiliy Lomachenko (Top Rank) and Gervonta Davis (PBC).
McIntyre believes Crawford will get his big fights in 2020.
“Obviously, it can’t be that bad (between Top Rank and PBC) because they got Wilder and Fury fighting (each other),” McIntyre said. “(And) there are talks about Gervonta Davis and Loma(chenko). I know that for a fact.”
Meanwhile, Crawford will have to live with the perception that his talent is being wasted. Promoter Eddie Hearn recently ridiculed Bob Arum, Top Rank’s CEO, for keeping Crawford idle for so long this year. It will be eight months out of the ring should Crawford fight in December.
McIntyre shrugged off Hearn’s remark.
“Bud could have been in the ring before then, but we passed on a few dates,” he said. “Bud’s birthday is on the 28th (of September), so he wanted to enjoy some time with his family and travel. So the next date available date was December 14.”
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