Terence Crawford is willing to face any welterweight in the world, though the feeling isn’t quite as mutual with his divisional peers.
While he hasn’t given up on his desire to face fellow divisional superstars and title claimants Manny Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39KOs) and Errol Spence (26-0, 21KOs), there remains one boxer in the division with whom he has actual in-ring history—former two-division titlist Danny Garcia.
Of the fights he’s been offered versus the ones that he continues to pursue, a showdown with the former two-division titlist is one he would welcome with open arms.
“Danny Garcia is a great fighter,” Crawford (36-0, 27KOs) insisted during a recent video interview with ESPN’s Cameron Wolfe. “I’ve been telling a lot of people about Danny Garcia ever since they’ve been saying that he’s cherry picking. I know he’s not.
“Me and Danny actually fought twice. I know what strengths he presents. He can box, he can bang. He’s strong, he can take a punch. He’s always in shape. When you fight Danny, you always have to be on your A-game. If you’re up on points, he’s going to bring it and you have to be ready for it.”
Crawford faced the Philadelphia born-and-bred boxer twice in the amateurs, both coming in separate tournaments in 2006. Garcia claimed a 21-20 win over the Omaha, Nebraska native in the semifinal round of the 2006 U.S. National Championships, with Garcia going on to take top honors in the 132-pound bracket. Crawford would avenge the defeat later in the year, claiming a one-point win over Garcia in the Gold medal round of the U.S. Blue & Gold National Championships.
Both have enjoyed immense success in the pro ranks. Garcia (36-2, 21KOs) served as lineal champion at 140 pounds and enjoyed a 14-month welterweight title reign. Crawford has won lineal championships at lightweight and junior welterweight, hoping to accomplish as much at welterweight where he has currently held an alphabet title since June 2018.
In order to achieve that status, he will have to get Pacquiao and Spence in the ring, or at least the winner between the two should they first meet and unify the three belts between them. Naturally, Crawford would prefer to cut to the chase, but isn’t opposed to facing someone like Garcia in order to get there.
“I just feel like my style and his style are good for each other,” Crawford believes. “You have two counter punchers, two strong fighters, a little bit of history behind it. We’re both 1-1. Anything Danny can do, I can do as well.
“What I think separates us is my boxing IQ, me being able to switch up and being able to box and my speed.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox