Terence Crawford is ready to mix things up and is on the move again. The American is leveraging his ‘Super Champion’ status to book a fight with the winner of Tim Tszyu vs. Sebastian Fundora next. But is it a right call when the likes of Jaron Ennis are waiting in the ranks? Is it a desperate decision to bag the legacy with Canelo Alvarez? It seems there is more to the star boxer’s move, and he might be better off making the switch.
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‘Bud’ is now Tszyu’s mandatory for the latter’s WBO strap. After cleaning up two divisions, he is eyeing a sweep of a third one. However, such a move was not on the cards until this year. He was waiting on Errol Spence Jr. to trigger a rematch and have the payday of his career. But that didn’t happen. Suddenly, Crawford was left with one option at 147: fighting Jaron Ennis. Is this how the 36-year-old envisioned closing off his stay at 147? It doesn’t seem so.
As soon as Crawford held all four marbles at 147, he knew his tenure as undisputed champion would be short-lived. Soon, the IBF would snatch its belt and bestow upon Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis. With Spence Jr. out of the frame, why would you expect Crawford to fight back for the title that was taken away from him too fast? Moreover, it’s not about the gold anymore; it’s about the money bags.
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Ennis, 26, has a thin resume. You could argue the current IBF champion hasn’t fought any of the big names or importance. While he boasts an impressive undefeated record, his fights have gone under the radar. His record of 31-0 with 28 KOs is an eye-popping stats, but if you dig deep, no name attracts eyeballs. You can debate whether he has done enough to bag a fight with Crawford. Ennis is a remarkable fighter, but he is not a draw yet.
What’s more? The Philadelphia native has the power, talent, speed, and reach to unleash punishment on Crawford. Whether he can do that is a debate for another day. So, it doesn’t make sense for Crawford to fight for a belt with less money and more chances of sustaining damage. With the illustrious career he had, he deserves to fight for money. That assumes more importance when the 40-0 record is already charting his retirement and he is looking to solidify his legacy.
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9 world championship belts, champion at 3 different weight classes, and undisputed at 2. Crawford’s legacy is set in stone, but he is still hungry for more. He wants to add more laurels to his resume. He wants a historic 3 division undisputed status.
Moreover, the Omaha native also craves a huge payday and can retire comfortably. Not only does he have the opportunity to fight Tim Tszyu and add another title to his waist, but he also has the chance to leave the arena with heavy pockets. Tszyu might emerge victorious against Fundora, and a fight against him in Australia could guarantee huge PPV numbers and revenue windfalls.
