Boxing
Keith Thurman says he can get Terence Crawford to 154 pounds
Published
6 months agoon
Keith “One Time” Thurman says he believes he can “talk” Terence Crawford back to 154 pounds and fight him for the “green” WBC junior middleweight title by defeating champion Sebastian Fundora.
At first glance, it sounds like a crazy fantasy that Thurman cooked up in his head, thinking he would beat Fundora from “The Towering Inferno” and then take on Crawford and make billions of dollars.
Fundor factor
Thurman (31-1, 23 KO) and Fundora (23-1-1, 15 KO) are scheduled to be postponed to January 24, 2026 or January 31, 2026. Their fight was supposed to take place on October 25, 2025, but Fundora suffered a hand injury and the fight had to be postponed to next year.
“Thurman vs. Crawford, I still think he wants to go back down. I still think it’s something for us,” Keith Thurman said in an interview with Brian Custer podcast about his belief that Terence Crawford will want to return to 154 to face him
Crawford’s silence speaks volumes
What made Thurman think Crawford wanted to go down to 154 pounds? He didn’t say a word about going back to 154 pounds. Since defeating Canelo Alvarez on September 13, he has only said that a 160-pound fight might interest him.
It is believed that he will stay at 168 pounds and wait for Canelo to ask for a rematch as that is his best option for a payday. Crawford would have no desire to fight 37-year-old “One Time” Thurman at 154 for a payday that would likely be tiny compared to the $50 million he just received for fighting Canelo.
Turki’s role in fantasy
Turki Alalshikh would have to be interested in paying for the fight between Crawford and Thurman. I don’t know why he would do that when many younger boxing fans have never seen Thurman fight. They don’t know who he is, except for his appearance: a balding man who appears to be in his forties.
“Man, we should get this thing going. Step in with ‘One Time,’ baby,” Thurman said in his desperate hope that Bud Crawford would want to fight him. “I think I might be able to lure Bud in a bit.”
Bigger game for Bud in 168
There are a lot of things that would have to fall into place for Thurman to have a massive payday fight with Crawford. Here are the things that would need to happen:
- Thurman defeats Fundora convincingly
- Crawford returns to 154
- Turki Alalshikh appreciates this meeting
- Bud had to want this fight
- Commercial attractiveness
“I don’t know what’s tempting him right now, but I feel like maybe, just maybe, the green belt could entice him just a little bit,” Thurman said of the possibility that Terence might be interested in fighting him if he wins the WBC junior middleweight belt from Sebastian Fundora.
It’s doubtful whether Crawford will see any value in a shot at the WBC 154-pound title if Thurman gets his hands on it by defeating Fundora. Terence, a native of Omaha, Nebraska, has already said that once he leaves the unit, he will never come back.
A return to 154 pounds would be a step back for Crawford. He would face a lot of pressure to fight Jaron “Boots” Ennis as well, and it would be a brutal fight for him at 38 years ancient.
Olly Campbell’s verdict: Keep dreaming, Keith
Bud Crawford is focused on collecting divisional world titles to cement his legacy so he can prove he is seen as one of the four on boxing’s Mount Rushmore. That’s where he’s hung up and that’s why he probably wouldn’t be interested in returning to 154 pounds.
If Thurman wants to fight superstar Crawford, he would have to move up to 168 or 160 pounds. Wherever he is or wherever he’s going, Thurman must be heading in that direction. He cannot assume that he is on an equal footing with Crawford in terms of status and negotiations. This isn’t 2016.
Last update: 21/10/2025
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Boxing
Hall of Fame champion claims he would be the one to beat Terence Crawford: ‘I’m going to win’
Published
1 hour agoon
April 28, 2026
The star fighter, who has made an astonishing 15 defenses of his welterweight world title, supported himself in a fantastic showdown with Terence Crawford.
Many consider “Bud” to be one of the greatest welterweight champions of all time, considering his size undisputed triumph over Errol Spence Jr in 2023
He had previously won seven straight 147-pound world titles, all through stoppages, but he could only cement his position as top dog by dethroning Spence.
Not only did he defeat “The Truth” and win his three world titles, but Crawford secured a surprisingly one-sided defeat over nine rounds.
After that career-defining moment, the American became the undisputed three-division champion, moving up to 168 pounds to dethrone Canelo Alvarez.
However, at welterweight, Crawford managed to produce some of his best performances, perhaps striking the perfect balance between being vigorous and impressively fit.
Another man who has had considerable success at 147 pounds is, of course, Felix Trinidad, who reigned as the IBF world champion for almost seven years.
Two of his greatest victories came against Oscar De La Hoya and Pernell Whitaker, who both went on to create Hall of Fame careers in their own right.
It is therefore natural that “Tito” sees his chances in a direct fight with Crawford, saying: Fighting Hub TV that he would give “Bud” his only professional flaw.
“With all due respect to Crawford…Tito Trinidad – I will win.”
While no fighter has been able to answer Crawford’s mystery, it is equally safe and sound to say that the former five-division world champion has never faced someone like Trinidad.
Boxing
Robeisy Ramirez signed with Raizd Boxing after leaving Free Agency
Published
3 hours agoon
April 28, 2026
Raizd announced the deal on Instagram on Monday, posting: “Official: Robeisy ‘El Tren’ Ramirez signs with RAIZD BOXING. World-class addition. Former WBO World Featherweight Champion. Two-time Olympic gold medalist. Welcome to the team, Robeisy.”
For a startup that is still building its name, this is a robust impulse. For everyone else, it encourages questions. There has been no evident move from Zuffa Boxing, Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions or other major teams that often pursue recognizable talent.
When a two-time Gold Medalist hits the open market and the Massive Four don’t pull the trigger. Raizd Boxing is basically a ghost ship right now. They are so modern that they haven’t even held their first event yet.
As for why the giants have stayed away, it probably comes down to a combination of time, shelf life and the ongoing business changes many of these companies are making.
At 126 pounds, 32 is on the older side. Promoters are notoriously wary of small-time fighters who have just had a career-changing break. Perhaps they would prefer to wait and see if he has anything left before signing him to an high-priced multi-fight contract.
While Dana White is finally taking action, Zuffa is aggressively targeting younger, buzz-worthy talent like Edgar Berlanga and Richardson Hitchins. Ramirez is 32 years aged and had a brutal knockout loss to Rafael Espinoza in December. Zuffa could see him as a veteran of damaged goods rather than a fundamental piece of their launch.
Ramirez may not have the same shine he had when he fled Cuba or when he beat Shakur Stevenson in the amateurs, but fighters with that kind of experience rarely hit the open market.
His recent form likely played a role. Ramirez is 14-3 with nine knockouts and has lost two of his last three fights, with both losses coming to Rafael Espinoza, including a stoppage in the rematch. At 32 years aged, he is no longer a long-term project that can be slowly developed.
Still, there is a clear advantage if handled properly. Ramirez remains a talented southpaw with the pedigree, experience and enough reputational value to quickly become relevant again at featherweight or above. If it combines wins, larger promoters may regret letting startup Raizd make the first move.
Boxing
Tim Bradley firmly predicts KO in Conor Benn vs. Ryan Garcia fight
Published
5 hours agoon
April 28, 2026
Hall of Famer Tim Bradley believes the welterweight clash between Conor Benn and WBC world champion Ryan Garcia will end decisively.
The two are in talks that could happen later this year, and Garcia also mentioned the possibility of a rematch with WBA world champion Rolando Romero.
In their first meeting in May 2025, Romero won a unanimous decision after defeating his fighter in the second round.
However, Garcia has since secured the WBC 147-pound title after dethroning Mario Barrios whom he dropped and passed unanimously in February.
This marks the 27-year-old’s first victory since 2023, when he edged Oscar Duarte in the eighth round before his controversial fight with Devin Haney.
Despite a majority decision advantage over Haney, that result was declared a no-contest in April 2024 after “King Ry” tested positive for the banned substance ostarine.
Benn also failed a 2022 drug test ahead of his canceled fight against Chris Eubank Jr, whom he ultimately defeated in a middleweight rematch last November.
This followed a points defeat to Eubank in April 2025, although earlier this month Benn remained in the win column, ahead of Regis Prograis, who subsequently announced his retirement.
However, despite his last fight at 150 pounds, the 29-year-old now wants to capitalize on his No. 1 ranking in the WBC and fight Garcia.
I’m talking to ESNEWSformer two-division world champion Bradley gave Benn little more than a prayer against Garcia.
“Ryan knocks him out.”
As the top contender for the WBC welterweight title, Benn is expected to be ordered to fight Garcia in the not-too-distant future, even if ongoing negotiations fail.
Hall of Fame champion claims he would be the one to beat Terence Crawford: ‘I’m going to win’
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