Terence Crawford became world champion in a fourth weight class this past weekend.
The 36-year-old from Omaha, Nebraska beat previously-undefeated Israil Madrimov by unanimous decision in his first fight at super-welterweight to win the WBA belt.
Trainer Robert Garcia – whose charge Jose ‘El Rayo’ Valenzuela won the WBA Super-Lightweight World Title on the same card – told Pro Boxing Fans the fight was ‘really close’ and perhaps ‘Bud’ was overlooking Madrimov.
“I thought it was a close fight. I think that Crawford since he’s already looking at something big he might not have been 100% focused on this fight. It was a really close fight.”
The ‘something big’ the trainer refers to is a bout against Saul ‘Canelo‘ Alvarez. Asked about that match-up, Garcia no longer sees the appeal.
“I think, just with that performance, people are not really gonna want to see Crawford versus Canelo. People are gonna say that’s too much moving up two more divisions. I don’t think that brings that much attention anymore. If he went out there and destroyed [Madrimov] then okay, he can move up fight against Canelo but I think it’ll be hard for people to buy that he could fight somebody like Canelo. Canelo’s just too big.”
Post-fight, Crawford said he would be resting up and enjoying his successes. In the meantime, Canelo returns to the ring on September 14 to face Puerto Rico’s Edgar Berlanga.
Garcia may have had a point given that Riyadh Season’s Turki Alalshikh has now taken his offer for the Mexican to face Crawford off the table.
