Crawford on Merchant's High Praise and Fighting Matthysse

By Victor Salazar

Terence Crawford (26-0, 18KOs) made the jump to the 140 lb. division two weeks ago and made an impressive statement in his debut by stopping Thomas Dulorme. Crawford felt the move came at the right time and says he feels more comfortable in his new division.

“I feel great, I feel stronger, I feel much more stronger,” Crawford told Boxingscene.com. “The plan to go in there and touch him, don’t show him too much, get him confident then take over but I felt strong.”

On the same date but in a different location, Lucas Matthysse defeated Ruslan Provodnikov. After the fight it seemed like the most logical matchup would be to pair the two winners. Crawford says he would take the fight if it’s brought up to him.

“I leave that up to my handlers and we go from there but if that fight ever come around, it’d be a great fight,” Crawford said about a possible fight with Matthysse. “But both put on a great show, it was the typical action you expect from the two but Matthysse got the win.”

Crawford left the lightweight division as the consensus best in the division. Now in his new division the plan is to get into the same position.

“I want to be at the top. I feel like the performance that I had put me up there but I want that number one spot,” Crawford said.

When Crawford defeated Yuriorkis Gamboa last June, Larry Merchant stated that Crawford was ready for Manny Pacquiao right after the fight.

In an article on Boxinscene.com. Merchant again high praise to Crawford saying a fight between him and either Pacquiao or Mayweather was even money. Crawford took the high praise but says he still has a lot to prove.

“It makes me feel great,” Crawford said “I still got some things to work on. I appreciate the compliment but I take it one day at a time but it makes me feel great that he thinks of me like that.”