STEVE’S SOAPBOX think his accolades are unprecedented. Not many people have been able to accomplish that. I think Henry Armstrong was one of those guys. He held all three titles simultaneously in three different weight classes.” Bradley has long been an admirer of Crawford. He found out firsthand just how gifted the boxer from Omaha is when he brought him into camp as a sparring partner for his bout against Devon Alexander in 2011 and then his initial clash with Manny Pacquiao in 2012. He was immediately impressed. “As far as skills go, I’m telling you guys: When I sparred
middleweight and beyond since 2018, and Crawford was jumping up two weight classes coming into the contest. But Bradley steadfastly maintained that his old sparring partner would win this fight relatively easily. Some will accuse the outspoken Bradley of hyperbole. But for a few years now, another permanent resident of Canastota, James “Lights Out” Toney, has told anyone who would listen that there was only one current boxer that he truly respected – Crawford. Bradley continued, “He has great reflexes. He has a great chin. I mean, there’s nothing that Crawford doesn’t
was broached, Lopez – who was on the Alvarez-Crawford broadcast for Netflix – surmised that perhaps at 130 or 135, Mayweather would have the edge. At welterweight and above, it would favor Crawford. To which Bradley responded: “Bud beats Mayweather at any weight – 130, 135, 140, 147, whatever it is. Mayweather would’ve never done what Bud did. He didn’t have the balls . He brought Canelo down to [a 152-pound catchweight]. I’m telling y’all, it’s a different mentality.” Coming into the Alvarez bout, Crawford made it clear that there was no rehydration limit imposed on the champion, or anything of that sort. This was just a good ol’ fashioned super middleweight contest. “Terence Crawford, he don’t want to hear no excuses. He’s going to fight you at the weight you are. That’s the way it is, and that’s the way it should be. He’s going to beat you at your absolute best. He’s not going to put any stipulations,” stated Bradley, who then went even further. “I’ll tell you this: Crawford beats Mayweather nine out of 10 times. Mayweather, please come back and do an exhibition with Terence Crawford. Please give us that look, and I promise you, he’s not going to do anything vs. Terence Crawford.” Bradley also believes that Crawford is the better puncher of the two and that for Mayweather – because of Crawford’s ability to fight as a left- hander – it would be like facing a much more difficult version of Zab Judah. And then the coup de grace: “I think Bud Crawford might even stop Mayweather if they were to fight. That’s how far I’ll go. He’ll even stop Mayweather. Mayweather has a 72- inch reach. Most of the guys that he faced had a small reach. Mayweather wouldn’t even fight [Antonio] Margarito. He wouldn’t even touch Margarito, bro, because he was too big and too aggressive. “All Crawford has to do is be aggressive and go hunt Mayweather down. He can do that, too.”
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him, I’ve never been in the ring with someone
have. And also the intangibles, too. This dude has toughness. He’s mean as hell, killer instinct. He’s an excellent finisher. He’s a complete fighter, man. He’s the most complete fighter I’ve ever seen in real life. And maybe one of the most complete fighters of all time. “And let me say one more thing: He can do it from both sides.“
so complete [as] Bud Crawford. I’ve shared the ring with Pacquiao. Manny Pacquiao does not have the skill that Bud Crawford has,” stated Bradley, who after his first sparring session with Crawford immediately dialed up Cameron Dunkin, who was managing both boxers at the time, and asked if he could get a piece of that contract. From that time on, nobody has been a bigger believer in Crawford. “Being that skillful, I mean, I could see Bud in the ring with any of the old- school legends. We’ll never see these fights and I’m just speculating, but what can’t he do? He has the size. He has a 75-inch reach. He has punching power and speed, an IQ that’s unbelievable. He can fight inside the pocket. You seen him, in spots, fight Canelo in the pocket – where Canelo wanted to be – and beat him at his own game.“ Coming into that bout, the mainstream had tabbed the Mexican superstar to come out victorious. After all, not only was he an elite fighter in his own right, but he was the naturally bigger man, having fought at super
Tim Bradley endorses Crawford as one of the greatest fighters ever.
Indeed, there is a strong argument that Crawford is the greatest switch- hitter the game has ever seen. It’s to a point where it’s difficult to remember that Crawford is right-handed. You ask most educated observers and they will tell you that at the very least, Crawford could have competed well in any era of boxing. That is probably the fairest statement in regard to his standing among the giants of the sport. There is also a lively debate online about who would’ve won a mythical bout between Crawford and Mayweather, the self-proclaimed “TBE” (The Best Ever). While some may now believe Crawford would have the upper hand, Bradley has stated this opinion for years. During his appearance on The 3 Knockdown Rule when this question
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