Terence Crawford - Body Snatcher
( photo credit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank)
Terence Crawford has a nickname that fits his reserved introverted personality.
“Bud” or “T-Bud”. A simple alias for, by all indications, a very nice guy.
Amicable only in between bouts. Once fight night gets closer, as well as in the
ring, T-Bud flips from Mr. Polite to outright savage! This scribe would love to
introduce Terence Crawford a fresh new nickname:
“Soul-Snatcher!!”
(YouTube via : Top Rank Boxing)
The 32-year-old generational talent from Omaha, Nebraska, doesn’t just defeat
opponents, he snatches their boxing soul! Fighters morale and confidence
destroyed upon realization Crawford is eons above their peak.
We’ll start with one of his most recent bouts. In October of 2018, undefeated
27-0 Jose Benavidez Jr, from the Benavidez fighting family, had his shot with
Terence. For 11 rounds Benavidez was unable to find his mark. The end came in
the 12 th . Fifteen months later Benavidez has yet to resume his boxing career.
Reach? Fair enough.
(YouTube via : Top Rank Boxing)
Enter Jeff Horn. “The Hornet” was riding a high after shady judging gifted him the WBO
Welterweight Title over Manny Pacquiao. He also entered that bout undefeated
at 18-0-1. Crawford took the Aussie out in nine one sided rounds! Since that
encounter Horn has gone 1-1, knocked out cold by unheralded Michael Zarafa
with his only win over a badly aged 43-year-old Anthony Mundine.
Not convinced yet?
(YouTube via : Top Rank Boxing)
Julius Indongo burst on the scene late in 2016 with a road victory over Russian
Champion Eduard Troyanovsky. Picking up the IBF and IBO lightweight titles. He
captured the WBA title next, with an Undisputed Fight showdown against Terence
Crawford as his reward. You could not enter a fight with more momentum than
the undefeated 22-0 Indongo did against Crawford.
He lasted all but 3 rounds. A vicious body shot ended his reign subsequently making Crawford the Undisputed Champion before moving up to welterweight. Indongo was stopped in the second round of his next bout and needed a 4-1 fighter to get back in the win
column. More?
(YouTube via : Top Rank Boxing)
No Crawford victim had his morale shattered worse than Felix Diaz. Prior to facing
Crawford, Diaz was 19-1. His only loss a dubious majority decision loss to Lamont
Peterson. It was one of those “losses” spectators knew who the real victor was.
That performance made him one of the divisions most avoided men in 2017. His
confidence sky high! Avoided by almost everyone. Except Crawford.
Diaz was embarrassed in his bout with Crawford. Systematically destroyed! His
corner saving him from further unnecessary punishment. It was so bad, while
Diaz’ trainer yelled out instructions, Crawford had time to snap back saying “he
won’t do that” grinning, shaking his head. This while action was taking place mind
you. Diaz was shockingly upset in his next bout and it took great matchmaking to
get him back in the win column earlier this year.
Ricky Burns and Victor Postol also had similar run ins. Burns losing 2 of his next 3
bouts after being humiliated in front of his home crowd by Crawford. Postol
entered an undefeated Champion as well (28-0) only to be humbled by Bud.
Going 1-1 in his next 2 bouts and currently has a modest two fight win streak.
The list goes on but I’ll stop there.
By my count, that’s four undefeated fighters and four former champions
demoralized by Crawford. Felix Diaz should have been undefeated and Burns had
two losses when he entered the ring with Crawford. Pristine records and elite
level fighters second guessing their line of work after a date with T-Bud.
That kind of work deserves a fitting nick name:
“Soul-Snatcher!!”
TERENCE CRAWFORD VS EGIDIJUS KAVALIAUSKAS
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Terence “Bud” Crawford will defend his WBO welterweight world title against undefeated mandatory challenger Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas Saturday, December 14 at Madison Square Garden as part of a special ESPN-televised tripleheader that will immediately follow the 2019 Heisman Trophy Presentation (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT). ESPN Deportes will provide the Spanish-language telecast.
Article written by:
Manuel “Hopper” Dominguez
@manueldstaytru
( photo credit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank)