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After shooting, Terence Crawford transforms from street life to champion fighter
OMAHA — Terence Crawford had just collected his winnings from a neighborhood dice game with his friends and hopped into the driver’s seat of his Brown ‘86 Cutlass Supreme to count the money.
As he was about to speed away, Crawford felt something hit him. It felt like a rock, but a bullet had entered his head, just above the nape of his neck. His friends had gang ties and their rivals had sprayed into the car with automatic weapons over a territorial claim.
Crawford (26-0, 18 KOs), USA TODAY/Boxing Junkie’s No. 8 pound-for-pound fighter, had been shot at many times before, but never hit. Now he was bleeding profusely, but collected himself and insisted he take the wheel en route to the hospital. After all, he trusted himself above anyone else to reach the medical center as quickly as possible. He was there about five hours, stitched up (he had to have his braids cut), then released. His life was saved when the rear windshield expanded the bullet.
At first, Crawford was bent on revenge, but came to his senses after talking with his uncle, a preacher. More so, the 2008 incident awakened the future world champ to a harsh reality: he needed to cut ties with gang-affiliated friends and tighten his circle.
“God gave me a second chance so I had to make the best of it,” Crawford told USA TODAY Sports.
He has become an excellent fighter with knockout power, possesses a high-ring IQ, and strong defense. A few miles from the site of the shooting are several billboards bearing his likeness ahead of his Saturday fight against Canadian Dierry Jean (HBO, 9:30 p.m. ET). One hugs the highway with the caption “Omaha: We Don’t Coast, We K.O.” and shows 2014’s fighter of the year punching a dazed Yuriorkis Gamboa, whom he knocked out in his signature bout last year.
Another shows Crawford interacting with a young boy and says, “Omaha: We Don’t Coast, We Inspire.” As Crawford will tell you, it’s clear he’s put the city on his back, and Omaha has responded, coming out in droves to his two HBO fights in the area.
He will defend his WBO junior welterweight title for the first time and 10,000-plus fans are expected at CenturyLink Center to see live what trainer Brian McIntyre calls Omaha’s professional sports franchise. A much bigger assignment could be just around the corner, though: a date with superstar Manny Pacquiao.
As he was about to speed away, Crawford felt something hit him. It felt like a rock, but a bullet had entered his head, just above the nape of his neck. His friends had gang ties and their rivals had sprayed into the car with automatic weapons over a territorial claim.
Crawford (26-0, 18 KOs), USA TODAY/Boxing Junkie’s No. 8 pound-for-pound fighter, had been shot at many times before, but never hit. Now he was bleeding profusely, but collected himself and insisted he take the wheel en route to the hospital. After all, he trusted himself above anyone else to reach the medical center as quickly as possible. He was there about five hours, stitched up (he had to have his braids cut), then released. His life was saved when the rear windshield expanded the bullet.
At first, Crawford was bent on revenge, but came to his senses after talking with his uncle, a preacher. More so, the 2008 incident awakened the future world champ to a harsh reality: he needed to cut ties with gang-affiliated friends and tighten his circle.
“God gave me a second chance so I had to make the best of it,” Crawford told USA TODAY Sports.
He has become an excellent fighter with knockout power, possesses a high-ring IQ, and strong defense. A few miles from the site of the shooting are several billboards bearing his likeness ahead of his Saturday fight against Canadian Dierry Jean (HBO, 9:30 p.m. ET). One hugs the highway with the caption “Omaha: We Don’t Coast, We K.O.” and shows 2014’s fighter of the year punching a dazed Yuriorkis Gamboa, whom he knocked out in his signature bout last year.
Another shows Crawford interacting with a young boy and says, “Omaha: We Don’t Coast, We Inspire.” As Crawford will tell you, it’s clear he’s put the city on his back, and Omaha has responded, coming out in droves to his two HBO fights in the area.
He will defend his WBO junior welterweight title for the first time and 10,000-plus fans are expected at CenturyLink Center to see live what trainer Brian McIntyre calls Omaha’s professional sports franchise. A much bigger assignment could be just around the corner, though: a date with superstar Manny Pacquiao.
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