N ebraska is a proud state. All of its towns and cities were built on a strong work ethic rooted in the pioneering spirit of farming communities. The people here are earnest, grounded and not afraid to get their hands dirty – especially those destined for greatness. The city of Omaha, in particular, is the birthplace of an eclectic group of high achievers. Malcolm X was born here. So were legendary entertainers, from Fred Astaire to Marlon Brando to Nick Nolte. Giants of business and industry – including Warren Buffett, who’s lived in the same house in town since the 1950s – call Omaha home. Hall of fame athletes do, too. Former heavyweight champion Max Baer, baseball great Wade Boggs and fan-favorite pro wrestlers Sting (aka Steve Borden) and “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase (born Theodore Marvin Willis). You can call these Omaha natives visionaries, innovators, icons, mavericks. But the citizens here would put it another way: Winners come from Omaha. As a co-captain of the University of Nebraska’s three- time national championship football team from 1993 to 1997 (60 wins, three losses, national titles in ’94, ’95 and ’97) and a native of Omaha, I know a thing or two about winning – and winning streaks. But 1997 was our last championship, and long gone are the winning ways of our storied football program. The last 10 years have been especially hard on Nebraskans. It’s been a time of misery, heartache, disappointment and missed opportunities resulting in a dismal record of 54 wins and 70 losses for the once mighty Cornhuskers. But during this gloomy period, there has been one bright spot, one glimmer
THE REDEEMER
of hope that Nebraskans can be proud of – and he hails from Omaha. Against all odds, Terence “Bud” Crawford has emerged as the greatest individual champion the state has ever produced – and he’s poised to add to his legacy on September 13. There’s no doubt in my mind that he will beat Canelo Alvarez. I don’t say this out of Omaha pride (although I’m as proud as they come). I say that because I knew the boy before I came to know the man
10 to 12. It was there I learned to never judge a book by its cover. I thought I was tough and asked to spar with a scrawny-looking white kid. Let’s just say he retired me from any boxing aspirations at the tender age of 12. My twin brother, Antoine, was mad and tried to avenge me – same outcome. However, while we would never be boxers, we couldn’t walk away from the training. My mom wanted us to know how to defend ourselves, and she was friends with Midge Minor, the head coach and founder of CW Boxing, which has saved countless young men’s lives in Omaha through boxing. So I walked back into the gym and eventually trained with Brian “BoMac” McIntyre. Years later, I saw a different little thin kid working on the speed bag. I was impressed by how he pushed himself and asked BoMac about him. “He’ll be world champion one day,” he said matter-of-factly. I laughed of course – BoMac loves to joke around. But there was a seriousness in his face that made me say, “Really?” His answer: “Just watch.” I’d known BoMac since I was 14. He worked as a chef at Clark’s Café, where my brother and I were dishwashers. I knew he wasn’t joking. Over the next few years, that line matured well as Bud took the amateurs by storm, eventually compiling a 58-12 record. I had fallen out of touch with Bud for a few years, but in 2006, I witnessed a pivotal moment that I believe fueled his professional ambition. Omaha hosted the National Golden Gloves tournament that year. In the span of four days, Bud took on and beat the best amateur lightweights in the country – until the finals. I was in attendance and I remember like it was yesterday, him getting robbed in the championship bout, even after knocking his opponent down in the last round. Bud lost on the official
scorecards, but BoMac still raised Bud’s hand after it was announced and the crowd inside the Qwest Center cheered. That moment was the birth of an Omaha legend. It lit a fire in Bud to dominate every opponent and never leave it to the judges again – a true “Mamba mentality” that pushed him when he was an unknown pro prospect all the way to his unexpected HBO debut against Breidis Prescott in March 2013. Fast-forward one year. Bud ventured to the lion’s den in Scotland to face Ricky Burns as an unproven contender. He returned to Omaha as the WBO lightweight champion. Now it was time for him to really prove himself. On HBO. In Omaha. At the CenturyLink Center (formerly the Qwest Center, now the CHI Health Center), an 18,000-seat stadium. It was packed for his first title defense, which would not be a “gimme.” HBO and Top Rank, Bud’s promoter at the time, rolled the dice against Yuriorkis
undefeated for his next 17 fights over nine years. He was often underrated or overlooked during this streak, but in Omaha, he was always the favorite. When he invaded the welterweight division in 2018, the boxing world propped up Keith Thurman, Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia (an amateur rival of Bud’s) and 2012 Olympian Errol Spence Jr. as potential opponents. But to us, it was never “if” he’d win these fights – it was “when.” The moment of truth came on July 29, 2023. Crawford put his WBO title on the line against unified beltholder Spence for the undisputed welterweight championship. The media said it was the fight of a generation. Experts called it 50/50. Las Vegas oddsmakers labeled it a toss-up. Omaha knew what would happen. I watched that fight with the intensity of a coach watching his last game. Every punch was a message. Every dodge a reminder of Bud’s ring IQ. Three knockdowns later, Bud had
Hometown fans showed up to see Crawford take down Jose Benavidez.
Gamboa, an undefeated Cuban Olympic gold medalist with explosive speed and power (and a cocky attitude to go with those gifts). The city rallied behind Bud at the CHI Center. This was the biggest fight of his career at the time. I was front row as Bud systematically broke Gamboa down. But in the ninth round, Bud dropped his hands and got rocked by the Cuban’s lightning-fast hands. Adversity had entered the ring. But like the champion he is, Bud adjusted and knocked out Gamboa that very same round. That’s when I truly became Bud Crawford’s No. 1 fan – at least in my mind. That’s when I realized he was still that same scrawny but defiant kid from CW Boxing Club. From that fight on, I watched Bud defy the odds, going
Crawford makes his way to the ring to face David Avanesyan in Omaha.
who became the champion. My first encounter with Bud was at the CW Boxing Club in 2001. After a short NFL career with Seattle and Kansas City and having earned my college degree, I was looking to resurrect my career. Boxing drills had always been part of my training to keep my hands and feet quick. I had been a member of CW Boxing Club from age
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