Comments Thread For: Arum: Terence Crawford is on The Level of Sugar Ray Leonard

[MarB]

I don't think so. If you've watched him fight, there is plenty to show that Bud's skills and athleticism are on the level of both Mayweather and SRL. I don't say that lightly, as I have always been a huge SRL fan, but its just true. He hasn't beaten the same level of competition as those guys yet, but he still has time at 30 yrs old and there are lots of good fighters on the horizon at 147. He will get plenty of cred when he takes on and beats those guys, particularly when he beats Spence.

here is where i agree with you that at 147 he has a chance to prove hes as great at SRL he has time to get there sure but he isnt there yet. SRL had better footwork and handspeed, he was also better at cutting off angles of his opponents as well. im nt dissing bud hes a top level fighter but to say hes at SRL level right NOW i cant agree with. competition matters to me and i cant ignore that. let him beat top guys like spence (which i dont believe he will) or garcia or porter and then ill accept that claim.

[jas]

Mikey garcia , a guy who arum did wrong and stalled his career, recommended crawford to manager cameron dunkin because they had fought in the amateurs, then dunkin got crawford with top rank

And arums out here making absurd comparisons. He should credit mikey if he truly believes them which he doesnt.

He said floyd is best since ali or something similar then disses hia style once he leaves

[NachoMan]

here is where i agree with you that at 147 he has a chance to prove hes as great at SRL he has time to get there sure but he isnt there yet. SRL had better footwork and handspeed, he was also better at cutting off angles of his opponents as well. im nt dissing bud hes a top level fighter but to say hes at SRL level right NOW i cant agree with. competition matters to me and i cant ignore that. let him beat top guys like spence (which i dont believe he will) or garcia or porter and then ill accept that claim.

I think that's fair. I agree that competition and the results against that competition is the primary judge of greatness. I will add though that Arum didn't say that Crawford's career achievements were on the level of Floyd and SRL. I think a lot of folks are reading it that way. Arum simply said that he is on their level. I interpret that to mean that skill/athleticism-wise, he matches up. I, for one, agree with him. Call me crazy, but I actually think that's Bud's skills capture some of the best aspects of Floyd and SRL and I think both of those guys would have gone life and death with him.