Floyd Mayweather Jr. remains one of boxing’s all-time greats. No questions whatsoever. However, for many fans and critics, there seems to be a slight gap—a void that prevents the undefeated former champion from taking that special space among the sport’s few other greats. So what is that void the Grand Rapids-born boxing legend could never fill if it indeed exists? Perhaps fans and critics could pay attention to what a new generation icon intends to accomplish.
At this stage, it might be easy to deem it a mere hypothesis. But it sounds too good for an assumption. After conquering the 147 pounds, Terence Crawford has now set his sights on the 154-pound division. Why? There was no shortage of competition back home? Jaron Ennis has been calling him out for some time. But to many fans, the move spells a different meaning. Two weight classes above reside the reigning super middleweight supremo, Canelo Alvarez. From a three-weight deficit, next Saturday, Crawford will bring it down to a two-weight deficit. Is anyone in the 160-pound watching?
Yet, a popular boxing commentator feels this precise action of ‘Bud’ Crawford will eventually push him to that hallowed hall where the sports’ exceptionally glorious stars reside. Mayweather Jr. might have missed the signs.
The legacy debate: Terence Crawford versus Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Calling it a ‘missed opportunity,’ @ShowBizzTheAdult felt that Floyd Mayweather Jr. should have tried to get a fight against Gennady Golovkin. But on the other hand, you have Terence Crawford, who started his career at 135 pounds. However, his ambitions knocked at the doors of the 168 pounds, Canelo Alvarez’s home ground.
“It’s kind of the same thing, except for Floyd fought a few times at 154,” said the boxing commentator. However, he clarified the objective here is not to detect a fault with Floyd Mayweather Jr. for not chasing the Tripler G fight. As he understood the former world champion staying around the weight classes where he fought, “I’m just saying that upper echelon,” he stressed. That’s why he always considered the great ‘Sugar’ Ray Leonard a notch above Mayweather Jr.
The primary reason remains ‘the crazy, the insane part of it.’ He concluded, “What Terence Crawford is talking about doing, he ain’t saying let me meet Canelo at a catchweight. Canelo’s undisputed there; let me go get it.”
The comments section is already filled with views, falling on either side of the fence. One user said, “That’s why Duran is respected. Went from 126 to 160.” But then another disagrees with @ShowBizzTheAdult’s argument.
Different Times, Different Challenges
According to them, the primary reason behind ‘Bud’ Crawford going after Canelo Alvarez remains legacy and big payday. If it’s about going up divisions and fighting, why he does not pick David Benavidez or David Morrell remains a question. The primary reason Floyd Mayweather Jr. never took such a move could be that he might feel that he isn’t going to gain anything in any way fighting Golovkin in the middleweight or super middleweight.
Both Mayweather Jr. and Crawford belong to different eras. The former had already made a name for himself from his Olympic days and followed it with professional success, winning one championship after another. The second decade of his career found him going after some of the biggest names, such as Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and, of course, a young Canelo Alvarez.
Despite his boxing skills, Terence Crawford’s popularity was unfortunately restricted to boxing diehards. With his excellent amateur run and outstanding professional fights aside, he received global recognition with the Errol Spence Jr. fight. More so, he will turn 37 this September. So considering that he might have a few years of boxing left before his eventual retirement, a mega fight with another face of boxing makes for a convincing argument.
Both boxers have earned their greatness in their own rights. To juxtapose one’s presumed lapse over the other might be something many fans may not agree with.
What’s your take on the boxing commentator’s argument? Should Mayweather Jr. have gone ahead and taken that risk?
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