On Saturday, Terence Bud Crawford will face his biggest challenge yet in 28-0 Ukranian standout, Viktor The Iceman Postol.
Also undefeated and 28-0, Crawford is attempting to unify the WBC super lightweight title, which Postol currently holds, to his WBO belt. The fight is in Las Vegas, a first for the Omaha native. The Ukranian has only fought in the U.S. three times prior.
Crawford, a 2015 Shadow League Leadership Award recipient, is of a humble persona that exerts power when he steps into the ring and when it comes to giving back. He’s a rising star in the world of boxing, one that’s become more increasingly in demand after every victory, and with his knockout victory against Hank Lundy at MSG in New York City back in February, Crawford officially entered the national scene, one that he looks to remain a part of with his fight against Postol.
We sat with the WBC champ as he prepared for his bout against Postol.
This fight will be shown on HBO Pay Per View, as a decreased boxing budget forced HBO not to purchase the event for his regular subscriber base to watch. This is the tragedy of where boxing can sometimes reside.
Two fighters in their primes in a virtual super fight will probably go under the radar, as it is expected to do meager buy numbers. We are in the summer months where obviously, most people are not saddled to their couch watching the tube.
(Photo Credit: MIkey Williams / Top Rank)
To force them to watch boxing brilliance for an additional fee goes out of their natural comfort zone, especially if the fight isnt hyped up with Mayweather-styled drama or recognizable names.
Crawford has taken the boxing world by storm with his quick finishes and his unforgettable knockout of Yuriokis Gamboa in the Century Link Arena in his native Omaha, Nebraska. As the town’s biggest star next to billionaire investor and friend Warren Buffett, Crawford has brought a sense of pugilistic excitement to the Midwest that has rarely been seen before.
But that was on HBO for the subscribers to devour and regurgitate via reruns and on-demand as part of their subscription package. Known as the hallmark network of boxing, HBO has been unwittingly thwarted by factors such as Al Haymon and his Premier Boxing Champions.
With all the recognizable stars not named Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin on free TV platforms via Haymons TV time buy boxing model, HBO has had to rely on the strength of its original series and movie programming to retain its base.
(Photo Credit: MIkey Williams / Top Rank)
Thats a shame because fights continue to let us down on premium cable. For example, Canelo Alvarezs anticipated destruction of Amir Khan, the unanticipated relinquishing of his belt and new announcement of a drop in weight to face Liam Smith, or the out-of-the-blue pairing of Golovkin with Kell Brook, these are all fights that do not make sense.
Crawford is arguably one of the next major athletic talents in boxing, but he is not a star. Nor does he seem to want to be. He is a man driven by purpose, helping make water available in Uganda and being a father and community leader in his North Omaha neighborhood.
However, if he and the unknown Postol cant sell a fight, even with the implications for the winner, along with WBO World welterweight champion Jessie Vargas (27-1) potentially being the next opponent for Manny Pacquiao in November, then boxing is truly failing its fans.
But, thankfully for the fans and his hometown, Crawford won’t be.
