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Oleksandr Usyk has spoken out after he was spotted taking part in a charity football match despite sustaining some minor injuries following his clash with Daniel Dubois.

On Monday evening, the undisputed heavyweight champion featured in the ‘Legends Charity Game’ – which was held at Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon. Several football legends took part in the match, including Luis Figo, Pepe, Ricardo Carvalho, Deco, Kaka, Peter Schmeichel, Petr Cech, Edwin van der Sar, Carles Puyol, Cafu and Michael Owen.

Pepe, Figo, Pauleta and Helder Postiga all scored as Portugal legends secured a 4-1 win over World legends in the inaugural Legends Charity Game. One of the biggest surprises from the match saw the Ukrainian swap the boxing gloves for the football boots. Usyk played 17 minutes in the first half and 6 minutes in the second half.

JUST IN: Jake Paul vs. Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis fight in limbo

The aim of the charity match was to raise over €1,000,000 for several charitable organisations, including the Ukrainian Red Cross Society, Portuguese Red Cross, International Alert, and Caritas Portuguesa. Fans were left stunned after Usyk took part in the game despite having to postpone his mandatory world title defence against Joseph Parker due to an injury claim.

The Ukrainian was previously ordered to defend his WBO gold strap against Parker after beating Daniel Dubois in July. That said, the bout has since been delayed on medical grounds and recent reports revealed that Usyk’s team had been successful in their appeal for a 90-day extension.

Despite suffering a few injuries against ‘Triple D,’ Usyk remained under the close supervision of his team and medical staff in Lisbon. Speaking about the charity match, the two-time undisputed heavyweight champion said: “Football is my childhood dream. Now I want to help Ukrainian children to make their dreams come true. The Usyk Foundation raises money to help sixty four families have a home again. This is just a drop in the ocean — a million of Ukrainians have lost their homes. But we do what we can.” He added: “I consider sport as a very powerful tool to make the world better.”

Usyk, 38, participated as a guest, but also wanted to draw attention to his own charitable initiative – the Usyk Foundation. The current fundraising campaign by his foundation aims to raise €3million (£2.5m) for the ‘construction of new housing for 64 Ukrainian families who lost their homes due to Russia’s full-scale invasion.’

Last month, Usyk grabbed the headlines after he was filmed dancing at a music concert. After the clip went viral online, Parker’s promoter – David Higgins – was quick to question the Ukrainian’s injury. “I haven’t actually seen the medical evidence but you would think that a serious injury would prevent that sort of activity,” he said. While Usyk is not expected to return this year, Parker will have at least one more fight before facing the Ukrainian. The Kiwi heavyweight will take on British star Fabio Wardley in London on October 25.

BOXING

Jake Paul vs. Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis fight in limbo

The status of the proposed fight between Jake Paul and Gervonta Davis – under scrutiny because of the weight discrepancy between the two fighters – has grown murky.

Rick Thompson, chairman of the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission (GAEC), told USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday, Sept. 16 that the promoter had withdrawn their request for event permits and rule waivers required to hold the event in Georgia.

The promoter was Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), co-founded by Paul and business partner Nakisa Bidarian.

JUST IN: Amid Crawford’s P4P Takeover Oleksandr Usyk’s Belts Under Thre

“I believe it’s in the public’s interest to know that because they’ve been promoting something they should not have been,’’ Thompson said when reached by USA TODAY Sports.

In fact, on Tuesday, Sept. 16, tickets still were available for purchase online and the fight still was listed on the State Farm Arena event calendar, to be held Nov. 14. MVP announced the fight, which is supposed to be carried by Netflix, on Aug. 20.

MVP did not respond to questions about the fight submitted by email and text message.

One rule waiver MVP had requested would have addressed the weight discrepancy between Paul and Davis. Paul weighed in at 199½ pounds for his last fight and Davis weighed in at 133¾ pounds for his last fight.

The GAEC commission is scheduled to meet Thursday and was expected to vote on MVP’s requests. MVP needed the votes of three of the five commissioners for approval, and the chairman – one of the five commissioners – adamantly opposed the rule waiver that would have modified restrictions on the allowed weight difference between fighters.

“They probably evaluated a situation, knew that their weight differences were too much,’’ Thompson said.

Thompson said he was notified of MVP’s decision Tuesday by GAEC executive director Matt Woodruff.

In an interview with USA TODAY Sports Sept. 8, Thompson blasted the fight, calling it “the dumbest (expletive) I’ve ever heard.” He also said he didn’t think Paul was a competitive fighter.

But on Tuesday, Thompson said he hoped MVP could reconsider holding the proposed undercard for the Paul-Davis bout in Atlanta.

“We would love for the undercard to still fight in the state of Georgia,’’ he said. “We believe the undercard is something people would like to see.’’

BOXING

Amid Crawford’s P4P Takeover Oleksandr Usyk’s Belts Under Thre

Oleksandr Usyk’s Belts Under Threat as Football Clip Fuels Injury Outrage Amid Crawford’s P4P Takeover

In July, Oleksandr Usyk put the brakes on Daniel Dubois for a second time, solidifying his status as a three-time undisputed champion in both cruiserweight and heavyweight. Talk about a heavyweight title with a side of déjà vu! All eyes are now on a possible showdown with the interim WBO champ, Joseph Parker. Let the games begin! The WBO has given Usyk the green light to defend his titles, but it seems his team has hit the brakes on negotiations, blaming an injury for the delay. Yet, Parker’s promoter, David Higgins, couldn’t resist highlighting a viral clip of Usyk showing off his dance moves.

He suggested that someone with a serious injury wouldn’t normally be able to move like that. Regardless, Usyk was granted a 90-day extension by the WBO after he presented medical evidence while recovering from the injury. Parker is now facing Fabio Wardley in October this year. Fast forward to September 9, a report from ESPN revealed that Usyk will compete in a charity football match in Portugal on September 15, named the ‘Legends Charity Game,’ which will be held at the Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon.

JUST IN: Why Terence Crawford Give All the Belts Back to Canelo Despite

Oleksandr Usyk played for a cause

The charity game featured former Premier League stars such as Edwin van der Sar, Petr Čech, John Terry, and Michael Owen, among others. CEO of Sport Global, Rasmus Sojmark, revealed that the undisputed heavyweight champion personally reached out to him and asked to take part. Although the match was primarily for ex-footballers, Sojmark agreed—it was Usyk asking, after all.

The Ukrainian boxer used the occasion to promote his charitable initiative, the Usyk Foundation, which supports communities in Ukraine and the country’s army. Meanwhile, the CEO of Usyk’s team, Sergey Lapin, clarified that recovery doesn’t mean complete inactivity. “Usyk has not been prescribed bed rest; he is allowed to take part in charity sporting events and engage in moderate physical activity,” Lapin told Ready to Fight.

He added, “But it’s obvious that dancing or attending events is not the same as a three-month training camp for a title fight.” Regardless, Everything Boxing shared a clip from the match on X, captioning: “Undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk playing in the Portugal Legends vs World Legends football game today.” This comes as Terence Crawford was promoted to the No.1 spot in Ring Magazine’s pound-for-pound rankings after he defeated Canelo Alvarez.

⚽ Undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk playing in the Portugal Legends vs World Legends football game today. @legendsmatch1 pic.twitter.com/rlcA3yxqAn

— EverythingBoxing | Darshan Desai (@EverythingBoxi2) September 15, 2025

Oleksandr Usyk, who previously held the spot, has now been moved down to the second spot on the rankings. Regardless, despite his team’s explanation, the footage ignited criticism online, with calls to strip Usyk of his titles spreading quickly across social media.

Fans allege Usyk faked his injury

The clip went viral, and one user questioned whether Usyk was injured. “Is he not injured?” Usyk will now return to boxing and decide whether to fight the winner of Parker and Wardley or relinquish his title altogether.

Another user sarcastically poked fun at Usyk. “Is this recent? I thought he was injured 😂😂,” the user commented. Usyk is not bedridden despite his injury.

The next user demanded that Usyk be stripped immediately. “Is this recent? I thought he was injured 😂😂,” the user wrote. However, that’s unlikely to happen anytime soon.

Meanwhile, this user blamed Frank Warren for not pushing hard enough for the fight. “Lol Usyk really doesn’t give a f—k about fighting Joseph Parker, but tbf I don’t think Frank and Queensberry really pushed as hard to make the fight as they may have claimed,” the user commented. Regardless of how much a promoter pushes for a fight, the decision lies with the fighter.

Someone else roped in Joseph Parker into the conversation. “Parker is gonna love this 💀,” the user commented. However, he can’t really do anything until Usyk agrees to fight him.

Having said that, it appears Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to play the football match has caused fans to turn on him.

BOXING

Why Terence Crawford Give All the Belts Back to Canelo Despite

Why Terence Crawford Give All the Belts Back to Canelo Alvarez Despite Winning

In front of a 70,482-packed Allegiant Stadium on Saturday, Terence Crawford proved that he wasn’t in his first 168-pound category fight by coincidence. Although the entire fight was razor-thin close, it missed a lot of action in the first eight rounds. Crawford, however, got the better of his opponent, the former super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez, in the final rounds. To close out, the American landed a series of uppercuts, three-punch combos, and right and left punches as Alvarez tried to get a hold of himself but couldn’t.

Despite a medical emergency when the Mexican head-butted him, Crawford became the only male boxer to capture three unified division titles with a unanimous decision. He clearly proved his doubters wrong yet again. But later, Crawford crashed Alvarez’s post-game press conference, and to many fans’ surprise, he returned the belts he had won just a few minutes before to Alvarez. However, it is not something surprising or new. In fact, it is a customary tradition in boxing, but for clarity, Crawford cleared it out during an interview.

JUST IN: Canelo Alvarez’s potential next opponent raises concerns despite al

Terence Crawford reveals why he gave up the belts to Canelo Alvarez

When a new champion is named, the ex-champion is allowed to hold the title for a while. Terence Crawford, too, showed his respect to his rival and handed him the belts. Moreover, he’s going to get new ones soon. Other than that, the gesture of handing the titles back also signifies another thing. After the fight, Crawford said, “I’ve got nothing for respect for Canelo, I’m a big fan of Canelo, and he fought like a champion today.” And giving the belts back signified those words along with sportsmanship.

It’s a symbolic act to honor the former champion, who reigned supreme as the top boxer for a fairly long time. But other than that, Terence Crawford claims that he’s going to get his own version of the undisputed super middleweight titles, and that’s why he returned the ones that belong to ‘Sual’. “They [are] his belts,” ‘Bud’ told Stephen A. Smith. “I wanted to be the one to give them back to him… They [are] my belts, but my belt is going to come personalized. Like his belt is personalized… I took his titles. The belt is going home with him.”

Meanwhile, Canelo Alvarez didn’t mince words when it came to praising Terence Crawford, either. After the fight, the 35-year-old favorite for the fight said, “We knew Crawford is a great fighter. I did what I was supposed to do. I trained really hard. He deserved all the credit. I tried my best tonight, and I couldn’t figure out the style. He had everything.” On Saturday night, Crawford looked strong from the get-go. By the end, judges Tim Cheatham and Max DeLuca awarded Crawford 115-113 and Steve Weisfeld 116-112 for the UD win.

Fans not only got to see these two titans of boxing fight in a generational clash, but also saw them embracing each other after the fight, showcasing that the bad blood is only inside the ring and not outside of it. But if anyone thought that preparing for the fight came easily for the Omaha native, it wasn’t so.

Crawford’s coach advised him to go southpaw

Terence Crawford is known for his exceptional switch-hitting ability, which allows him to make effective use of both the southpaw and the orthodox stances. However, he had decided to only go orthodox against Alvarez. His coach, however, had something else in mind.

“I’ve always sparred bigger guys, I’d bully the smaller guys. I used to work on my defence. Fighting at a bigger weight, not having to lose so much, it helped me. I wanted to come out orthodox, but my coaches said southpaw will kill him. That’s what we did tonight,” Terence Crawford told the media. “We knew what he was trying to do: the wide hooks. He knew I was faster, but he then respected my power.”

Although an underdog going into the fight, and certainly not the reason for a historical crowd in Allegiant Stadium, Crawford kept his confidence and let his work speak. Now with a win over Canelo Alvarez on his resume, Terence Crawford might have a few interesting fights out there. But then again, there is also speculation about his retirement. We’ll have to wait and see how things pan out in the future.

BOXING

Canelo Alvarez’s potential next opponent raises concerns despite al

Canelo Alvarez’s potential next opponent raises concerns despite already being in Turki Alalshikh’s plans

Following Saturday night, there has been talk regarding what is next for Canelo Alvarez.

Alvarez was convincingly beaten by Terence Crawford in Las Vegas, but it’s not like he hasn’t come back from significant losses in the past.

JUST IN: Why Terence Crawford Completely Rules Out One Fight Next

Suffering a loss to a fighter like ‘Bud’ isn’t going to damage his stock in the long run and it’s hard to imagine the Mexican star’s return not being another huge event.

While Crawford has been exchanging comments with Ilia Topuria, there are several boxers who could be in contention to face him or the man that he beat on September 13 next time out.

One of those names has been targeting the former undisputed super middleweight champion for some time.

Hamzah Sheeraz unsure that Canelo Alvarez will turn around and fight him in February

If Terence Crawford chooses to vacate his undisputed super middleweight titles rather than remaining at this weight class, there’s no doubt that Canelo Alvarez will be back in the mix.

This could also open up a huge opportunity for the man who is ranked as the top contender by the WBC and WBO, Hamzah Sheeraz.

The undefeated 26-year-old finished Alvarez’s former opponent, Edgar Berlanga, in the fifth round this past July, which led to Turki Alalshikh claiming that he deserves to fight the Mexican star in 2026.

Alalshikh recently spoke about Alvarez’s return plans, reminding fans that he still has two fights on his contract for next year, with one of them expected to take place around February.

This matchup would make a lot of sense for a potential vacant title fight if ‘Bud’ does choose to move division again.

While Sheeraz has been targeting a fight with Alvarez, he admitted in an interview with Ring Magazine that he’s doubts it will end up happening in February.

“I could still fight Canelo. I don’t know if he would fight as soon as February, though. Not that it’s that soon, but I think coming off a loss it might be too soon. I’d just like a shot at the titles, no matter who’s got them. Crawford has got them at the minute.”

Terence Crawford was warned about Hamzah Sheeraz following this weekend

As Hamzah Sheeraz stated in the interview, while Canelo Alvarez would be the biggest name that he could fight, his goal is to win a world championship.

That means that Terence Crawford is also on his radar following the American’s incredible achievement at Allegiant Stadium.

In a recent interview on Box Nation, Frank Warren warned Crawford about the prospect of facing Sheeraz, who he thinks is an incredibly dangerous dark horse.

“I think it’s a tough fight. I think it’s a good fight. The thing about Hamzah is he’s young, he’s not a shot fighter. He’d go in as an underdog, but I’d give him a good shot.”

“He can punch, and you see what he did in his last fight,” Warren continued. “If he fights like he did in his last fight, he’d give him a tough time. It’s a really, really good fight.”

BOXING

Why Terence Crawford Completely Rules Out One Fight Next

Terence Crawford made a strong case for being the greatest fighter of his generation with a historic victory over Canelo Alvarez last weekend.

The 37-year-old Omaha-native defeated the Mexican icon via unanimous decision to capture the undisputed super-middleweight championship at a packed out Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In what has been regarded as the best performance of his professional career to date, ‘Bud’ Crawford wrote his name into the boxing history books once again by becoming the first male fighter in the modern era to win an undisputed championship in three weight classes.

READ: Why Terence Crawford’s Win Over Canelo Alvarez Changes the Bo

The three judges at ringside scored the bout 115-113, 115-113 and 116-112 all in favour of the American pound-for-pound great, and it has been suggested by some that the cards should have been a lot wider.

With rumours already circulating about what could be next for ‘Bud’ after this monumental victory, the 37-year-old has ruled out one fight in particular.

Speaking in the post-fight press conference, Crawford was asked if there was any chance of him dropping back down to 154lbs and potentially going on to face fellow countryman Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis.

“No. I ain’t going down to 154.”

‘Bud’ did make a brief appearance at super-welterweight in August 2024 when he defeated Uzbek star Israil Madrimov via unanimous decision to capture the WBA world title. He had previously floated the idea of moving back down to become undisputed, however has clearly felt too good at the weight to drop significantly.

‘Boots’ Ennis recently announced he will begin his campaign at 154lbs later this year having previously reigned as the unified WBA and IBF welterweight champion. The 27-year-old from Philadelphia is set to face Portugal’s Uisma Lima in a non-title bout on October 11.

Though an intriguing match-up, it looks unlikely that Crawford and ‘Boots’ will ever meet inside the ropes, unless the latter decides to quickly move up another division.

As for Crawford, he hinted that he may be tempted to make a move to middleweight next, and one of the world champions at 160lbs has already responded.

BOXING

Floyd Mayweather Causes Outrage With First Post After Ricky Hatton’s Death

Floyd Mayweather has risked angering the boxing world with his first posts since the tragic death of former opponent Ricky Hatton.

British boxing legend Hatton was found dead at his home in Manchester on Sunday at the age of 46.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: “Officers were called by a member of the public to attend Bowlacre Road, Hyde, Tameside, at 6:45am today where they found the body of a 46-year-old man.

“There are not currently believed to be any suspicious circumstances.”

JUST IN: How Terence Crawford has FOUR-WEIGHT undisputed

Hatton had previously spoken about his battles with depression and addiction, and in 2023 he was the subject of a documentary ‘Hatton’ in which he discussed his life and dealing with retirement.

‘The Hitman’ last fought professionally in 2012 and was preparing to make a shock return to the ring to fight the United Arab Emirates’ Eisa Al Dah in a middleweight bout in Dubai on December 2.

Hatton won world titles at welterweight and light-welterweight during his professional career and famously fought both Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao in huge title fights in Las Vegas, with the British fighter losing both.

Pacquiao was among those to lead tributes to Hatton after the news of his death was made public.

He posted on social media: “I am deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Ricky Hatton. He was not only a great fighter inside the ring but also a brave and kind man in life.

“We shared unforgettable moments in boxing history and I will always honor the respect and sportsmanship he showed.

“Ricky fought bravely, not just in the ring, but in his journey through life. He truly had a good fight, and we are all blessed to have been part of his wonderful journey.

“My prayers and deepest condolences go out to the Hatton family and all his loved ones. May the Lord give you strength and comfort in this difficult time. May he rest in peace.”

What did Floyd Mayweather post?

Mayweather, on the other hand, is yet to address Hatton’s death and risked infuriating the boxing world with several posts on Monday morning.

He took to Instagram to post a picture of a betting slip to his story, after placing a wager on the WNBA game between the Las Vegas Aces and Seattle Storm.

Mayweather later posted two more stories promoting club nights in Las Vegas, with one featuring an AI generated image of a woman wearing a bikini.

As of publication, he is yet to respond to the news of Hatton’s death.

Fans were quick to call him out on Instagram, with one posting: “No RIP Ricky Hatton?”

While another added: “Damn Floyd no tribute post or words of encouragement for the Hatton family?

“Manny said something, just shows the difference in character between you two.”

Mayweather fought Hatton on December 8 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas for the WBC and The Ring welterweight world titles.

The American defeated the British fighter by TKO in the tenth round to extend his professional record to 39-0.

BOXING

How Terence Crawford has FOUR-WEIGHT undisputed

Terence Crawford has FOUR-WEIGHT undisputed chance in 2026

Fresh off his masterful victory over Canelo Alvarez at super middleweight, Crawford has rightfully taken a deserved rest while enjoying his latest spell as pound-for-pound number one.

But as the dust settles, conversations have already begun around the Omaha great’s next move.

JUST IN: Terence Crawford hints at weight switch to make further

Crawford himself hinted that the middleweight division could be on his radar.

“I’m going to sit down with my team, and we are going to discuss what’s next in the future for Terence Crawford, and who knows, I might go down to 160,” Crawford said in the aftermath of his exceptional win.

That simple tease opened the door to speculation, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed by the men already operating at 160 pounds.

Janibek’s Promise
Unified middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly, currently holding two belts, has been vocal about his own ambitions.

“Everyone knows who I am. I’m a middleweight nightmare. Next week, a long-anticipated announcement will shake up the boxing world,” Janibek promised.

For now, Crawford won’t be part of that announcement directly. The Kazakh southpaw may first need to clear his own path by unifying further titles against Erislandy Lara or Carlos Adames.

If Janibek can secure three belts, or even collect the full four by early 2026, he could tempt Crawford to step up for one final push. A four-belt undisputed clash at middleweight would instantly rank as one of boxing’s most lucrative and significant fights due to the extension of the current benchmark.

Timing the Shot
Crawford, who has already conquered all four titles at 140, 147, and 168, may not want to slog through the middleweight ranks traditionally. At 37, by the time the fight could materialize, ‘Bud’ is more likely to wait for the most significant opportunity rather than engage in multiple tune-ups.

That leaves Janibek, Lara, and Adames with the responsibility of doing the donkey work: piecing together the belts to set the stage for a blockbuster showdown.

Should Janibek succeed, the carrot of facing Crawford in late 2026 would be worth the effort. The winner would get all the belts, and Crawford, in particular, would achieve the unthinkable: undisputed world titles across four different weight classes.

A Historic Horizon
Boxing has long celebrated undisputed stars, and gaining a fourth weight-class crown would elevate Crawford into a stratosphere that could make a repeat unimaginable.

Crawford’s path isn’t guaranteed, but the signs are there, and the Omaha man may only get one bite of the cherry. The opportunity may never come around again.

With Janibek openly signaling major plans and Crawford leaving the door ajar, 2026 could mark the year that Crawford rewrites undisputed boxing history once again.

Crawford’s Achievements
Undisputed super lightweight champion | 2017

Undisputed welterweight champion | 2023

Undisputed super middleweight champion | 2025

Undisputed middleweight champion | 2026 ????

BOXING

Terence Crawford hints at weight switch to make further

Terence Crawford hints at weight switch to make further history in next fight

Terence Crawford’s next steps remain unclear, but he is considering all his options.

The 37-year-old put on a punch-perfect display on Saturday night in Las Vegas to dethrone undisputed super middleweight king Canelo Alvarez.

Several pre-eminent voices insisted Crawford, who was moving up two weight classes, didn’t have the size to beat Canelo.

JUST IN: Why Terence Crawford’s Win Over Canelo Alvarez Changes the Bo

However, Crawford proved them wrong by scoring a convincing, unanimous decision win that saw the modern great stand toe to toe with his larger adversary in portions.

In victory, he becomes the first male three-weight undisputed champion in the four-belt era.

He also joins an elite group of five-weight world champions that includes Floyd Mayweather after successfully picking up hardware at lightweight, super lightweight, welterweight, super welterweight and super middleweight.

The one division he skipped en route to achieving the remarkable feat is middleweight.

And although Crawford is yet to make a decision on whether he will fight again following his career-best win, he hinted at the possibility of making a splash at 160lbs.

Speaking to the Netflix broadcast panel after the fight, Crawford said: “My gut says the same thing.

“I’m going to sit down with my team and discuss what is next in the future for Terence Crawford.

“But who knows, I might go down to 160lbs.”

Who are the champions in the middleweight division?

The middleweight division is considered to be one of the weaker weight classes in boxing right now.

Unified IBF and WBO champion Janibek Alimkhanuly is considered by most to be the best fighter in the division.

Meanwhile, Carlos Adames, who boxed to a contentious draw against Hamzah Sheeraz in February, is the WBC titleholder, and Erislandy Lara, boxing’s oldest world champion, holds the WBA’s version of the world title.

There are several talented up-and-comers in the division, such as Cuban amateur standout Yoenlis Hernandez, World Championship bronze medallist Troy Isley of the United States, and Irish technician Aaron McKenna.

However, the weight class is wide open, providing Crawford with the perfect opportunity to launch a smash-and-grab mission.

If ‘Bud’ were to successfully add middleweight gold to his glittering résumé, then he would tie Oscar De La Hoya for the second most weight classes conquered with six.

Only boxing’s lone eight-weight world champion, Manny Pacquiao, boasts more belts.

BOXING

Why Terence Crawford’s Win Over Canelo Alvarez Changes the Bo

Why Terence Crawford’s Win Over Canelo Alvarez Changes the Boxing GOAT Conversation

After another masterful performance, this time on the sport’s biggest stage in a decade, the still unbeaten Terence “Bud” Crawford is no longer one of the most under-appreciated athletes in history. He’s simply one of the best.

Crawford moved up two weight classes from where he last fought and three weight classes from where he began his career to pull off the fight with Canelo, a dream bout that had long been considered unrealistic by even the most vivid dreamers. He entered as a consensus underdog, but controlled the fight from start to finish and left his opponent reeling for an opening all night.

JUST IN: Canelo Reveals real Reason Why he Lost to Terence Crawford

At 37 years old with a first-ballot Hall of Fame legacy already intact, Crawford very easily could have let this opportunity pass by and most sensible people wouldn’t have blamed him for it. Moving up two weight classes is a nearly impossible task for any fighter. Moving up two weight classes to face Canelo, another generation-defining great, is borderline lunacy.

But what’s the common thread that makes all of our beloved athletic icons, our “GOATs”, what they are? It’s that lunacy. It’s the belief that even with history, circumstances and all evidence against them, they can achieve what they set out to do. Crawford told the press this week he was 1000% sure he would beat Canelo, and that belief translated into his performance.

“When I set my sights on doing something and I know what I’m capable of, it’s not like a surprise to me,” Crawford said. “It’s a surprise to y’all because y’all didn’t believe me … but for me, I knew I could do it, I just needed the opportunity.”

Make no mistake, Crawford’s resume stacked up with some of the all-time greats before Saturday’s performance. But the reality is, he had more to lose than Canelo. Canelo now has three losses in his career and a few more fights that could have gone a different direction on the cards if he had a different name.

While we’ve seen Bud have some nights that didn’t live up to his standard, we’ve never seen him fail to come out on top. By becoming the first fighter in 87 years to win an undisputed world championship in three different weight classes on top of that already pristine 42-0-0 record, Crawford has established himself as a generation-defining athlete in this chapter of American sports history.

When people consider the greatest athletes of the 2010s and 2020s, Crawford belongs on all of the most exclusive lists. The only comparable boxing talents of the last two generations are Floyd Mayweather, Oleksandr Usyk and Naoya Inoue, who are the consensus top three pound-for-pound fighters on the planet.

And if you ask Canelo, who has faced both Crawford and Mayweather, who the better fighter is? Well, his answer may surprise you.

“I think Crawford is way better than Floyd Mayweather,” Canelo admitted in the post-fight press conference.

It was clear from the jump that Crawford had all of the physical advantages. He retained the speed and endurance that many were worried he would sacrifice by moving up, and his signature power was as potent as always. Canelo has a historically strong chin, but a handful of Crawford’s blows would have sent a more delicate fighter to the canvas.

It felt fitting that on the sport’s biggest stage in a decade, and arguably ever, the most underappreciated talent in the modern era got his first real chance to show mainstream American sports fans how great he truly is. Many everyday Americans were unfamiliar with Bud Crawford’s name before this fight, but Max Kellerman described it best after the fight.

“Every era has their guy that you can’t tell anyone from that era anything about,” Kellerman said. “We lived through Michael Jordan. Try telling anyone who did that, that LeBron James is better. Those that lived through LeBron James there will be another guy come around in 20 years and try and tell them that … Bud Crawford is that, to this era of boxing.”