I was watching Crawford's fight against Gorges back in 2012 and couldn't BELIEVE how slow, sloppy and amateurish he looked compared to the stone cold assassin who would obliterate Spence a decade later. Against Errol, he looked extremely sharp, fluid and crisp - basically every inch the perfect fighter. Obviously Crawford was just at the beginning of his career back then but it's still pretty awesome to see how much he's developed as a fighter in just a decade. In fact, I DON'T think anybody would've earmarked him as a future p4p #1 back then (although you can see 'shades' of the Spence version back then).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUhVcZVIs1U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SD1EspEuH0Y
That is why fighters should chase the names and not the trinkets.
These belts are meaningless if no one of consequence holds them. They are forgotten in history.
Bud starting this "undisputed" trend is just cope for not getting the names on his resume.
Nobody really started paying attention to him except when he fought Porter and Spence.
You are only as great as the names that you challenged.
Omar Narvaez has 27 wins in title fights but he beat nobodies and unlikely to be inducted in the hall of fame.
I’d be more impressed if Bivol beats Jai than becoming 2x undisputed at 175
Where Inoue kind of suffocates opponents from 1st through to 12th round if it goes that far. Whilst when bud fought brook and khan, you wouldn't know who is the pf p fighter, brook/khan or bud, he don't seem to separate himself from his opponents? But bud finds punch from nowhere, buds got some punch on him, gets him out of jailNaoya and Bivol used to say TBud the best guy today right after he beat Errol
TBud due to inactivity allowed Naoya and Usyk to get ahead of him
TBud must do something dramatic such as beating Alvarez to reclaim p4p king
Where Inoue kind of suffocates opponents from 1st through to 12th round if it goes that far. Whilst when bud fought brook and khan, you wouldn't know who is the pf p fighter, brook/khan or bud, he don't seem to separate himself from his opponents? But bud finds punch from nowhere, buds got some punch on him, gets him out of jail
Yep...Top Rank had a monopoly at Light Welterweight back then so Burns, Gamboa & Beltran were EASY fights to make. Like I said before, they built him up really well but failed to deliver the marquee Pacquiao fight which forced him to cross the other side of the street in order to fight the likes of Porter & Spence.
He fought those guys at lightweight, not light welterweight. His run at 140 was Dulorme, Jean, Lundy, Postol, Molina, Diaz, and Indongo.
Crawford didn't really arrive at the world level until 2013, when he fought Breidis Prescott and Andrey Klimov. His amateur career wasn't fantastic (58-12 record, lost to Sadam Ali in his bid to make the Olympic team) and he needed seasoning when he got to the professional game.
2014 was when it was clear what we were looking at when he beat Ricky Burns, Yuriorkis Gamboa, and Ray Beltran in three straight fights.
Yep...Top Rank had a monopoly at Light Welterweight back then so Burns, Gamboa & Beltran were EASY fights to make. Like I said before, they built him up really well but failed to deliver the marquee Pacquiao fight which forced him to cross the other side of the street in order to fight the likes of Porter & Spence.
i remember when he was coming to fight ricky burns they were going on about him being a future p4p no1 guy
Interesting...that was his first world title fight and a couple of years after the Gorges fight. I think Top Rank matched him well at that point in his career and it's interesting to note that every fight thereafter has been a world title fight going on a decade.
Crawford didn't really arrive at the world level until 2013, when he fought Breidis Prescott and Andrey Klimov. His amateur career wasn't fantastic (58-12 record, lost to Sadam Ali in his bid to make the Olympic team) and he needed seasoning when he got to the professional game.
2014 was when it was clear what we were looking at when he beat Ricky Burns, Yuriorkis Gamboa, and Ray Beltran in three straight fights.
I never felt he was N.1. p4p to be honest. His resume at 140 is funny, he actually just took the belts Danny Garcia dropped when he moved up.
Crawfords "glory" is beating Spence. A good win, but just that. Spence was never any special fighter either.
Canelo beats Crawford easily. This fight is just a cash grab. Crawford felt in love in his own hype, just like Canelo before fighting Bivol.
I think he has a FAIR claim to the #1 spot (as do both Usyk & Inoue) as they're all undefeated undisputed champions in 2 weight divisions. However, if he manages to beat Canelo then I think you'd have to give it to him.
I never felt he was N.1. p4p to be honest. His resume at 140 is funny, he actually just took the belts Danny Garcia dropped when he moved up.
Crawfords "glory" is beating Spence. A good win, but just that. Spence was never any special fighter either.
Canelo beats Crawford easily. This fight is just a cash grab. Crawford felt in love in his own hype, just like Canelo before fighting Bivol.