Terence Crawford has always been full of respect for his opponents.
The 41-0 switch-hitter from Omaha, Nebraska has won world titles in four divisions, became undisputed in two, and fought himself to the very top of most pound-for-pound best lists.
He has done it all with dignity, never one to create unnecessary drama to sell a fight and always happy to let his fists do the talking in the ring.
In a recent Instagram Live with Bernie Davis, ‘Bud’ used two examples – the biggest fight of his career and the one he wants next – to prove the point.
“There’s a way that you go about getting a fight … I never disrespected [Errol] Spence when I called him out. I never disrespect Canelo when I call him out. I always acknowledge them. I always acknowledge their skills. I’m a fan of Spence still. I’m a fan of Canelo still.”
An exception recently came up in the form of super-lightweight world champion Teofimo Lopez, who has been angling for a fight with Crawford but, according to the man himself, going about it the wrong way.
“This little motherf***er [Lopez] just disrespectful. I seen him at the fight, he looked at me and he’s playing because he thinks everything is a game. But he don’t understand that I will beat the f**k out of him and his daddy. I don’t go around with security guards, or a big entourage, everybody knows that. Why? Not because I’m the baddest man on Earth. I know what I’m about. I don’t bother nobody. I walk around as I please. I don’t try to be something that I’m not. If I wig out, it’s for a reason. And when I wig out it’s gonna be something different.”
Crawford further detailed what happened when the pair came face-to-face at the recent Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez versus Edgar Berlanga fight in Las Vegas.
“He see me and he’s laughing like ‘when we gonna fight?’ I checked his dad because his dad slapped my shoulder trying to get some attention after my fight … I said if you ever put your motherf***ing hands on me again I’m gonna beat your ass. He was like ‘we just want the fight’ … Teo’s like ‘you wanna fight outside?’ I said yeah we’re gonna fight outside, motherf***er. What you talking about? Your dad hit me outside the ring. Yeah I’m gonna beat your ass outside the ring.”
Despite the bad blood, Crawford is unlikely to accept Lopez’ call out. Instead, he continues to push for a Canelo fight but also has the option of a super-welterweight unification against Sebastian Fundora.
