By Jake Donovan
Less than a week before he accepts his award from the Boxing Writers Association of America as 2014 Fighter of the Year, unbeaten Terence Crawford will make his first ring appearance of the 2015 boxing season. Coming off of a career year, the World lightweight champion will move up in weight for to face 140 lb. bubble contender Thomas Dulorme on April 18 at College Park Center on University of Texas-Arlington campus in Arlington, Texas.
Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, March 6 and can be purchased online—www.utatickets.com or www.utacollegepark.com—or on-the-line by calling the venue box office at (817) 272-9595.
Price points are $200, $100, $60, $40 and $25, plus applicable fees.
The bout will air live on HBO, marking Crawford's third straight network appearance and sixth overall. His past two appearances took place at home in Omaha, Neb., with his 9th round knockout of Yuriorkis Gamboa—one of the best fights of 2014—marking the first time in its 40 years of boxing coverage that HBO filmed live from that corner of the world.
Following his knockout win over Gamboa, Crawford turned back the challenge of Raymundo Beltran to establish World championship lineage at lightweight. However, the bout was to be his last at the weight, as the rising star has designs on conquering a new division.
"I'm ready to do bigger and better things at 140," Crawford (25-0, 17KOs) promises.
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox