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Terence Crawford is widely regarded as one of the best boxers in the world today. He is currently the third highest ranked pound-for-pound fighter according to the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, the second highest according to The Ring, and the fourth according to Boxrec. His record stands at 38-0 with 29 knockouts.
Crawford recently took to social media to demand respect. He wrote:
"One day y’all all going to give me my respect and crown me the best sooner or later. I know it’s hard for y’all to say it but just say it, I’m the best."
Crawford's reputation as a fighter carries more weight than even his resume. Every time he steps into the ring, he puts on a demonstration of technical ability that seems unmatched in the division. The only fighter at welterweight who seems to threaten his claim is Errol Spence Jr., who he is likely to fight later this year.
Check out Terence Crawford vs. Kell Brook here:
Terence Crawford's claim to greatness
Terence Crawford's reputation does not stem from the names on his record. Of course, he has fought top-tier fighters such as Shawn Porter, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Kell Brook, Amir Khan, and Viktor Postol. However, it seems that his evident greatness has not been tested against anyone on his own level.
To prove his status as the best in the division, Crawford will need to fight Errol Spence. Spence is the only boxer at welterweight today who appears to be of Crawford's caliber. Spence has arguably been in the ring with tougher opponents than 'Bud' has faced. As a result, he rises above the Omaha fighter in some standards.
Spence and Crawford have both expressed a desire to fight one another for years. For one reason or another, they have been unable to make it happen. However, this year, it seems likely that the two welterweights will meet in the ring.
Crawford's best win so far may be his victory over Shawn Porter last year. Porter went down for the first time in his career in the tenth round. After being dropped a second time in the same round, the fight was stopped by his cornerman, who threw in the towel.
