Terence Crawford seems tired of repeating the same conversation.
After years of chasing the biggest names in boxing, Crawford finally secured victories over Errol Spence Jr. and Canelo Alvarez, and his two victories were instrumental in bringing him into the great generational conversation about boxing.
However, both performances have since been embroiled in injury debates that continue to influence the way the victories are remembered.
Crawford made it clear he was feeling frustrated this week.
“I continue to wish Errol Spence all the best in his upcoming fight. I see what you are all trying to do, but it won’t work, not this time,” Crawford wrote.
A few hours earlier, Crawford had posted a more forceful warning.
“It’s better if I stay alone. Don’t make me show you why.”
Same debate, different opponent
The fresh debate began when Spence discussed his July 2023 fight ahead of his July 26 return in Australia.
At the time, Crawford was widely praised for one of the best performances of his career, becoming the undisputed welterweight champion.
However, the discussion gradually changed as Spence revealed details about his condition before entering the ring.
In an interview with Andre Ward on the Art of Ward podcast, Spence admitted that he had not sparred for six or seven weeks before the fight.
“Like I wasn’t sparring. Like the guys didn’t belong. I didn’t have any southpaws there to spar or anything.”
Ryan Hafey
Spence also outlined deeper issues outside the gym.
“I basically lived a bad life, bro.”
He added: “The whole camp was just a messed up situation.”
These comments added to previous reports about Spence’s eye problems and his recovery from two earnest car crashes, creating the argument that Crawford was facing a compromised version of the former unified champion.
Below are some questions about Canelo
A remarkably similar discussion surrounds Crawford’s win over Canelo last September.
Trainer Eddy Reynoso revealed that Canelo was already struggling with an elbow problem that later required surgery before his match with Crawford.
The Mexican star has already undergone the procedure and is back to full fitness.
Whether or not the injury significantly impacted the fight is a matter of opinion.
What is beyond dispute is that Crawford’s next career-defining victory is now judged as much by the state of his opponent as by the winner’s performance.
For the second time in two of the most legacy-defining victories, attention focused on what was wrong with the man standing across the ring.
Crawford’s Battle
Crawford’s reaction is not surprising given the constant backlash against his resume during his tenure.
The debate does not focus on the collateral victories deeply rooted in his legacy. It focuses on Errol Spence and Canelo Alvarez, the two victories most often cited in Crawford’s elevation to pound-for-pound king.
If these victories remain intact, it will become almost impossible to argue against Crawford as an all-time champion. If they are constantly accompanied by discussions about injuries, indigent preparation or physical decline, achievements will inevitably come under greater scrutiny.
The reality is that Spence and Canelo are not just two names on Crawford’s resume. It was these two wins that did the most to elevate him into the all-time boxing conversation.
If you completely discount those wins, Crawford’s record suddenly becomes much thinner than the GOAT’s.
Crawford did everything asked of him, beating Spence and Canelo when the opportunity finally presented itself.
However, both victories continue to spark debate about the fitness of their opponents rather than the genius of the man who defeated them.
Regardless of which side fans argue, Crawford remains on track to become a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
About the author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and veteran boxing reporter with over 15 years of experience. Since 2010, he has been interviewing world champions, breaking down international titles exclusively and reporting from the ring. His work is distributed on major platforms including Apple News. Read the full biography.
Carl Froch has assessed the chances of Conor Benn pulling off a sizable upset against Ryan Garciawho he is expected to face in September.
Their welterweight showdown was reportedly set to be announced on Friday, with Dana White inviting both fighters to the stage at a UFC weigh-in.
According to boxing journalist Dan Rafael, however, there are still some issues that must be ironed out on Garcia’s sidewhich concern the involvement of DAZN and Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy.
Benn, meanwhile, has reportedly completed his side of the agreement to challenge for Garcia’s WBC world title in Las Vegas on September 12.
The 29-year-old signed with White’s Zuffa Boxing earlier this year, before unanimously outpointing a faded Regis Prograis over 10 rounds in April.
Yet it seems the promotional and broadcast situation for his clash with Garcia – expected to be streamed on Netflix – is far from straightforward, being that the WBC champion seemingly has an existing contract with Golden Boy and DAZN.
If it does go ahead, though, then Froch has suggested on his YouTube channel that Garcia would prove too skilled for his less proven opponent, giving Benn just a 30% chance of victory.
“This one is exciting, because you get to find out where Conor Benn belongs. Does he belong at world level?
“Ryan Garcia … Would you say he’s an elite-level champion? He’s been down, he’s been beat, [but] you’ve got to say he’s world-class.
“So this is a massive step-up for Conor Benn. I’m not sure it’s the fight he will win. He probably can win it, if he gets the tactics right, but it’s a really tough ask.
“He’s the underdog – he’s probably 70/30 against.”
Garcia claimed his WBC title by dethroning Mario Barrioswho he floored in the opening round before winning their February encounter by unanimous decision.
Tony Bellew has advised Moses Itauma against facing an opponent who, based on his superior experience, could become the first man to drag him into deep waters.
The heavyweight prodigy already has his hands full, of course, as he will face seasoned veteran Filip Hrgovic at London’s O2 Arena on August 29.
On paper, this is undoubtedly his toughest test thus far, with Hrgovic’s only professional defeat having come via an eighth-round stoppage against Daniel Dubois in June 2024.
Itauma, on the other hand, has never made it past six rounds, but was close to doing so before dispatching Jermaine Franklin with a fifth-round finish in March.
Having cemented himself as a formidable knockout artist, the 21-year-old is now ranked No.1 with both the WBO and WBA, seemingly closing in on a major opportunity.
According to former world champion Bellew, though, the talented southpaw should steer well clear of Oleksandr Usykwho relinquished his WBC, IBF and WBA belts last month.
Even at the age of 39, and after having to grind out a 11th-round stoppage against Rico Verhoeven in May, the Ukrainian is still the lineal heavyweight champion and, more generally, a generational great.
For this reason, Bellew has told Fight Your Corner that, even at this stage in their careers, Itauma is not ready for an elite competitor like Usyk.
“Moses [shouldn’t] go near him at the minute. I think that it would be absolutely insane to throw Moses Itauma into [an] Usyk [fight] after not going past six [rounds] yet.
“Would you throw a fighter like that in with someone like [Usyk]? [Usyk’s] game plan would be, ‘I have only got to see past six rounds with you, kid. I am going to take you to places that you have never been’.”
While a matchup between Usyk and Itauma has been widely discussed, it does appear that the two southpaws will ultimately go their separate ways.
The 12-round bout headlines a Coliseo Promotions “Noche Suprema” card that will be streamed live on YouTube.
“I am very motivated to fight in Hermosillo, my hometown for the last 15 years,” Berchelt told The Ring. “I want to show all my fans that there is more ‘Alacran’ Berchelt for many years.”
Berchelt (42-3, 37 KOs) enjoyed one of the sport’s strongest runs at 130 pounds after stopping Francisco “Bandido” Vargas in the 11th round to capture the WBC title in January 2017. He followed that victory with six successful title defenses, defeating former champion Takashi Miura and stopping Vargas in their rematch, Miguel Roman, and Jason Sosa during his reign.
His momentum came to a halt in February 2021 when Oscar Valdez knocked him out in the 10th round to claim the WBC belt. Less than a year later, Berchelt moved up to lightweight and suffered another stoppage loss, retiring after six rounds against Jeremia Nakathila.
Since then, the 34-year-old has quietly rebuilt his career with four consecutive victories, all in Mexico. Although the opposition has been modest, the winning streak has kept alive hopes that the former champion still has something to offer after years of punishing battles.
Cordoba (7-1, 4 KOs) enters the fight after scoring a second-round knockout in May. The Colombian has competed above his natural weight in recent outings and now steps in against the most accomplished opponent of his career.
A victory would extend Berchelt’s comeback to five straight wins as he attempts to work his way back into contention nearly a decade after beginning his title-winning run against Vargas.