Undisputed boxing champion Terence Crawford discussed his latest victory and future opponents with TMZ Sports today:
Although the boxing world perceives Crawford’s latest victory as a dominant, easy triumph, the champion maintains a humble perspective. He stated:
“I don’t feel any different than yesterday to be honest. I’ve got a lot of people hitting me up but at the same time, the way I feel is no different than yesterday.”
Crawford even insists that the victory was anything but easy, elaborating:
“The fight is never easy, no matter how it looks to the general public. The fight is won in the gym, that’s where the hard part goes on. This fight was extremely hard, and I went through a lot of pain and suffering to get to that point.”
The question of ‘who’s next’ inevitably arose during the discussion, with speculation regarding potential rematches and fresh challengers. Crawford’s contract binds him to certain obligations, including honoring a rematch if that’s the desired move for his career. In response to this, he mentioned:
“That’s my obligation in the contract and I have to honor that. I want to thank Errol Spence, because without him really wanting to fight and doing what he can do, along with me to get this fight done, we wouldn’t be fighting.”
When TMZ Sports asked who he would choose as his next opponent, given the choice, Crawford didn’t hesitate before answering:
“I would definitely choose Charlo. It’s a meaningful fight; there’s more history, more on the table.”
However, he dismissed the idea of a potential fight with Canelo, citing the weight difference as a significant factor.
Crawford was direct when addressing the potential bout with Canelo Alvarez,. In his own words, Crawford explained:
“Canelo is two, three, even four weight classes above me, depending on which fight you’re talking about. So, to be honest, Canelo doesn’t really interest me because of the size factor.”
The boxing champ remained unwavering in his stance, illustrating his strategic approach to picking fights:
“Canelo fighting at his weight doesn’t present the right kind of challenge I’m seeking. I’ve been asked this question many times before, and I’ve always had the same answer. I’m firm on my stance.”
Despite fans dreaming about him reaching a record 50-0, Crawford does not see himself boxing for much longer, as he plans to retire on his terms. When discussing his retirement, he revealed:
“I stated and said that I will retire from boxing before I let boxing retire me. I feel as if I haven’t been fully appreciated in the sport of boxing in my career for some time, and I felt like once I retired, that’s where I would get my props.”
One of the highlights of his recent fight was Crawford’s walkout, escorted by rapper Eminem. The boxing champion was visibly excited when discussing this moment, saying:
“That was a dope feeling. Shout out to Eminem for coming out and supporting me and showing me so much love. I never knew he was a big Terence Crawford fan.”
However, the most compelling part of the interview was when Crawford discussed his life outside the ring. Particularly, the role of being a father. Speaking about his commitment to his children, he stressed:
“No matter what I’m doing in life, I make sure that I’m there for my children.”