It could take some time, but Terence Crawford and Jose Ramirez could be on a collision course to clash in the near future.

Crawford (36-0, 27 KOs) currently competes at 147 and is the WBO welterweight champion, while Ramirez is a unified titlist at 140.

Crawford was the undisputed and unified champion at super lightweight, holding all four major sanctioning body titles at once before moving up in weight. Ramirez has since developed further and picked up two of the 140-pound crowns (WBC and WBO) that Crawford once possessed.

Ramirez (25-0, 17 KOs) has previously expressed that he’s not too long for 140, soon after he faces Josh Taylor in a future unification fight.

Once he moves up to 147, the 32-year-old Crawford plans on greeting him with a beating.

“Crush him, it’s that simple,” Crawford told ESPN in regard to a potential fight with the Fresno native Ramirez. “Whenever he’s ready, I’m going to crush him.”

The fight could take some time to develop, and they have to make sure their weights and career trajectories align.

Crawford turns 33 and Ramirez will be 28 later this year.

Crawford has also expressed desires to fight at 154 with the intent to become a four-division champion.

Both combatants are signed with Top Rank, so inking a contract in the future would not be an issue.

The only question would be if the timing of a showdown would fall in each fighter’s favor.

"Right now I am a super lightweight but when I decide to make that move to the welterweight division people need to stop and really think that I am going to be putting on extra weight and I am going to be much stronger," Ramirez recently told FightHype.

"You are definitely going to see a much bigger and stronger Jose Ramirez. Don't compare me and Crawford as the fighter I am right now. Just wait and compare me when I make that move to see how much stronger I get. From there then you can make more valid points. For now I am looking forward to making that move and facing a guy like Crawford."

Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist and member of the Boxing Writers Assn. of America since 2011. He has written for the likes of the LA Times, Guardian, USA Today, Philadelphia Inquirer, Men’s Health and NFL.com. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan or via email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com.