Terrence Crawford Aware of Critics Heading into Welterweight Title Fight

12/12/2019

Madison Square Garden will host two title fights this Saturday with a main event featuring

Terence Crawford, one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world, defending his WBO

welterweight title against undefeated No. 1 contender Egidijus Kavaliauskas.

Crawford (35-0, 26 KOs) is coming off a sixth-round TKO victory over Amir Khan in April, his

sixth straight finish of a fight. He’ll defend the WBO welterweight title for the third time after

being a WBO lightweight champion from 2014 to 2015 and the unified light welterweight

champion from 2015 to 2017.

While Crawford is undefeated and a three-weight world champion, he still receives criticism from

pundits for not having a career-defining fight or opponent. There are big names in the

welterweight division that would represent such a win, but Crawford doesn’t think he needs to

fight them for his legacy.

“It doesn’t bother me as much as people think,” Crawford said via Boxingnews24.com. “I’ve

accomplished more than all those welterweights over there except Pacquiao. If you look at what

I’ve accomplished in the sport of boxing and look at what Errol [Spence Jr.], Keith [Thurman],

Shawn [Porter], Danny Garcia and all those welterweights over there [with Premier Boxing

Champions], I’ve accomplished WAY more than each and every one of them except for

Pacquiao. I don’t need them.”

While his critics believe his resume lacks a victory over a big name, Crawford has defeated

anyone who will step in the ring with him. The 32-year-old moved up to welterweight and has

fought the fighters who have said yes to a fight with him, and the list isn’t long. However, he will

have his hands full on Saturday with a hungry, undefeated fighter that has something to prove.

Kavaliauskas (21-0-1, 17 KOs) is coming off a majority draw against Ray Robinson in March.

Despite the draw, he still remains the mandatory challenger by the WBO and Crawford could

have faced being stripped of his title without booking the fight.

The 31-year-old Lithuanian fighter has built his record on fighting lesser competition, but

believes he will shock the world with a victory over Crawford.

"This is a great opportunity for me against the world's best fighter,” Kavaliauskas said via

Boxingscene.com. “When I win, I will be considered one of the world's best fighters. Terence

Crawford is a great fighter, which is why I wanted this fight.

“I am ranked No. 1 for a reason. I am here for a reason, and I can't wait for Saturday night. The

way to win a title is to fight the best, and Terence is the best welterweight in the world. I want

that title, and I will be the first Lithuanian-born boxer ever to win a world title."

...

A second title fight will be on Saturday’s card, as IBF lightweight champion Richard Commey

will defend the belt against undefeated challenger Teofimo Lopez Jr.

Commey (29-2, 26 KOs) won the vacant IBF title in February with a second-round TKO of Isa

Chaniev and successfully defended the belt in June with an eighth-round knockout of

Raymundo Beltran. The Ghanaian fighter’s two losses came in back-to-back fights in 2016 by

split decision to Robert Easter Jr. for the IBF lightweight title and three-time title challenger

Denis Shafikov.

Yet in still, the 32-year-old Commey hasn’t let his recent success go to his head, as he’s taking

Lopez seriously.

“My co-manager Michael Amoo-Bediako took me to MSG to see him fight Edis Tatli,” Commey

said via The Ring. “Tatli did not put up much of a challenge, so (Lopez) was hard to assess on

that. But from what everyone is saying, he is a very talented boxer, so I will not be taking him

lightly.”

The winner of this fight has been linked to a fight with WBO and WBA title-holder and pound-for-

pound king Vasyl Lomachenko, more so for Lopez due to his phenom status.

Lopez (14-0, 11 KOs) is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Masayoshi Nakatani in

July. The 22-year-old has turned a successful amateur career into an undefeated professional

record and his first major title fight. Lopez, however, isn’t looking past Commey and ahead to

Lomachenko.

“I really don’t want to talk about Lomachenko or answer any questions about him,” Lopez said

via Yahoo Sports. “I’m fighting Richard Commey. That’s the only thing that matters to me. That’s

where my focus is.”

• Start time/how to watch: The main card can be seen this Saturday on ESPN at 9 p.m. ET