Terence Crawford hasn?t been beaten in a boxing ring since he turned pro nearly seven years ago.
The undefeated WBO super lightweight champion did, however, suffer a costly loss last week. When promoter Bob Arum confirmed that Manny Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KOs) and Timothy Bradley (33-1-1, 13 KOs, 1 NC) agreed to fight a third time April 9 in Las Vegas, Crawford was denied a well-deserved opportunity to become a mainstream star by opposing Pacquiao.
Crawford (27-0, 19 KOs) already is a star in his hometown of Omaha, Neb. He has drawn capacity crowds in excess of 11,000 for three HBO bouts at CenturyLink Center in downtown Omaha since June 2014.
The soft-spoken, charitable champion has been an even bigger hit inside the ring than at the box office.
He?s a smart tactician and an aggressive finisher whose willingness to trade punches and a diverse skill set have endeared him to fight fans. Crawford?s fearlessness never was more evident than when he accepted a dangerous fight against Colombian knockout artist Breidis Prescott on short notice in March 2013 because it meant Crawford would make his HBO debut.
He is 7-0 since beating Prescott, has won world titles in two weight classes and knocked out previously unbeaten Cuban star Yuriorkis Gamboa.
To take his career to the next level, though, Crawford needs to fight Pacquiao more than any other opponent.
Pacquiao, whom Crawford was more than willing to move up from 140 pounds to 147 to fight, is the transcendent star Crawford needs to beat to become known outside of the boxing world. Floyd Mayweather Jr. is retired and wasn?t really an option for Crawford anyway because Crawford, like Pacquiao and Bradley, is promoted by Arum?s Top Rank Inc., which typically doesn?t do business with Al Haymon, Mayweather?s polarizing adviser.
The Arum-Haymon drama also will prevent Crawford from fighting many more of boxing?s top junior welterweights and welterweights. That?s what makes fighting Pacquiao even more important for Crawford, who would try to use Pacquiao?s superstardom to enhance his career much the way Pacquiao and Mayweather did by beating Oscar De La Hoya.
Crawford?s consolation prize reportedly will be a Feb. 27 fight against Philadelphia?s Hank Lundy (26-5-1, 13 KOs) in The Theater at Madison Square Garden. Crawford won?t complain publicly about losing out on the Pacquiao bout because he and Bradley are close friends.
There?s still no denying Crawford has suffered a costly loss without even setting foot in the ring.
Twitter: @Idecboxing
