Terence Crawford defends boxing against UFC comparisons

Terence Crawford and Shakur Stevenson rejected comparisons between boxing and the UFC during a livestream with Adin Ross, defending the sport without hesitation.

Crawford, retired after defeating Canelo Alvarez, spoke with the certainty of a fighter who closed his career on top.

“The UFC will never be better than boxing,” Crawford told Ross. “UFC is good for what they do, and we’re good for what we do. You know what I mean? You’ve got to think, if I can’t whoop you with my hands, I can kick you, I can take you down. It’s a whole different mental capacity than just kicking, punching.”

The appearance reflected fighters protecting the boundaries of their sport. Boxing demands range control, punch discipline, and defensive reactions built through thousands of rounds.

Shakur Stevenson rejects Jon Jones crossover talk

When asked whether former UFC two-division champion Jon Jones would dominate in a boxing ring, Stevenson answered without hesitation.

“Hell no,” Stevenson said, later daring UFC lightweight titleholder Ilia Topuria to “come fight me.”

Topuria has previously claimed he could stop Crawford with a single punch, talk that continues to circulate in MMA forums whenever combat sports overlap. Fighters inside boxing typically treat those claims with a smile.

“It ain’t even close,” Stevenson said. “The skill level is different.”

Crossover arguments generate noise, yet the ring has always narrowed those conversations to one truth. Different crafts require different habits, and mastery rarely transfers without consequence once the bell sounds.