Terence Crawford whipped off his shirt in Las Vegas this week and, immediately, Instagram went bonkers.
Seen the snaps?
Of course, you have.
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With Bud looking so unbelievably jacked, there were global gasps. Accusations of Photoshop. Even Joe Rogan echoing the thought of so many via a post reaction that simply read: “Oh, s***”.
Momentarily, some even shouted about an AI fake.
With that claim coming immediately after UFC star Ilia Topuria also posted his own meeting with a shirtless Crawford, who looked exactly like a fighter would at, say, the start of camp.
Which, unsurprisingly, is also likely when the photograph was taken.
Terence Crawford has seriously bulked up.Source: FOX SPORTS
But if you want the real truth?
Well, how about we just go ask the Australian responsible for Crawford’s incredible rig?
Understanding Gavin Pratt, he is.
And has been for the best part of two years.
Or put another way, before even that hyped Errol Spence win.
So as for Pratt’s thoughts watching a shirtless ‘Bud’ in their final workout last Friday?
“My main thought,” he cackles, “is let’s f***ing go …”
Once a budding AFL wannabe in Fremantle, and later, spawning an Olympic surf school in, of all places, China, 45-year-old Pratt now suddenly looms among the most crucial cogs in this Sunday’s ‘Fight of the Century’.
Not that anybody knows.
Nor has anyone given even a passing nod to Pratt’s role in those Crawford pics now going viral.
Which to be fair, is exactly how this Perth boy likes it.
And would prefer things stay.
Still, know that for the past 12 weeks and counting, it’s been Pratt who has quietly overseen the incredible transformation that is Crawford’s now hyped, err, body of work.
Greatest physical overhaul in boxing history?
Maybe.
Understanding that when he challenges Mexico’s Canelo Alvarez inside Allegiant Stadium this Sunday, ‘Bud’ will effectively be moving up three weight classes — or almost 10 kilos.
Which as the great Billy Birmingham had Richie Beanud so wonderfully chortle in those 12th Man tapes: “Isn’t an impossible task … but pretty f***ing close to it”.
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Indeed, despite having already earned undisputed status at both a super lightweight and welterweight, Crawford is now preparing for a seemingly crazy jump – and against arguably the modern era’s greatest fighter.
Only once has Crawford fought at even super welterweight.
A performance too, which wasn’t some highlight reel finish last August, but a tough decision win over WBA champ Israil Madrimov.
So as for now upsetting undisputed super middleweight king Canelo?
No, the bookies don’t think it possible.
Nor a host of boxing types led by Mike Tyson, Ryan Garcia, even Jim Lampley.
But, OK … enter Pratt.
While not officially a boxing guy, this West Australian has spent years overseeing some of the world’s greatest fighters inside the $20 million UFC Performance Institute.
Officially, Pratt is UFC Director of Strength & Conditioning.
A role that sees him working with not only a whole range of Octagon toughs, but stars of NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball, and, of course, boxing.
More recently, Pratt has also assisted with travelling NRL teams — many of whom train out of the UFC gym prior to their now famous Las Vegas season launch – while Tim Tszyu also sought his expertise during a 2024 stint Stateside.
Crawford, too, is such a fan of the affable Aussie that he offered to base Pratt out of Colorado for the entirety of his camp for the Canelo blockbuster.
However given his ongoing commitments at UFC Central, the High Performance guru instead spent an initial three weeks with Crawford in Las Vegas, then mapped out his plan for what has been the ensuing two months.
Then for the past fortnight, the pair have reunited in Sin City as ‘Bud’ now makes final preparations for a headliner so big it feels like the entire world is dissecting those latest gym pics.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia this week however, Pratt refused to accept any praise for the Instagram images now doing the rounds, or anything coming in Sunday’s US blockbuster.
“Yeah, Terence looks great,” he said, speaking via Zoom from his UFC gym office. “And that’s all testament to all the work he puts in.
“When he arrived back into Las Vegas last week, I hadn’t seen him for six weeks.
“But I’m not surprised by how he looks.
“In fact, my first reaction was ‘of course’.
“In terms of dedication, coachability, Terence Crawford is among the greatest athletes I’ve worked with.
“Everything is kudos to him, to his efforts.”
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Given the enormity of this fight, Pratt is unable to go into specific detail around how Crawford has added the weight, his gym PBs, or exactly how heavy he will be on fight night.
The conditioner also stresses, repeatedly, that his role is only one part of a much larger team effort.
Still, readying a fighter to effectively rise three weight classes – and against no less than global boxing’s biggest superstar – has to be some challenge all its own.
Especially given how, usually, Pratt’s role involves the exact opposite, right?
Specifically, readying UFC stars for a weight cut, otherwise known as the fight before your fight.
“Putting on lean muscle, you have to be really cautious,” Pratt admits.
“Because you’re wanting to add that muscle while still holding onto on the valuable mechanisms that make them such great champions.
“In the case of Terence Crawford, he’s an incredibly skilful boxer.
“He’s fast, great cardiovascular responses … and we don’t want to drain him of those.
“Still, he is going up several weight classes.
“So we need to put on functional mass while still being able to express all those speed and energy systems required of someone at that elite level.”
One of the biggest issues, Pratt says, is ‘The Interference Effect’.
“With elite athletes training so much,” he continues, “they aren’t really in an environment suitable for gaining lean muscle mass.
“Because the calorie deficit is so huge during training, there is usually no time for adaptation.
“So that’s the challenge …”
And judging by his week’s pictures, you’ve got there, right?
“Oh, Terence looks fantastic,” Pratt agrees.
“But to be totally honest with you, I don’t know what his exact composition is. Don’t know those numbers.
“And while we look at changing the athlete, it’s the fighter who is then worked on by his technical coaches.
“So yes, we’d like to think we’ve had success.
“Given Terence the functionality to do his very best.
“And then from there, it’s that technical skillset which takes over.
“Again, it’s a real team effort.”
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Asked exactly how and why Crawford sought the UFC crew out and Pratt laughs: “That’s a great question, although not one I’m sure I can answer.
“Basically, it started with Terence coming to Las Vegas and training next door to us inside the UFC Apex, which has a boxing ring, gym, all that sort of thing.
“And it was while there that he learned about the UFC PI, and all the services we provide.
“So then one day Terence arrived here for a meeting, where he and I hit it off …”
Didn’t they what?
With Crawford’s first win under the new team being his 2023 epic against Errol Spence Jnr.
So pleased was the American with his physical shape for that camp, and everything which flowed, he has continually returned to the UFC Performance Institute – and Pratt, specifically – ever since.
As part of this latest build for Canelo Alvarez, Bud initially spent three weeks with Pratt and the wider UFC PI team – testing areas like strength, power and energy systems.
From there, and with Pratt unable to travel to Colorado, the trainer then created a program to see Crawford through the rest of his preparations, with specific targets to reach and areas to work on.
And while unable to delve into specifics, he insists the results have been outstanding.
“Because if you only had one word for Terence Crawford? Competitive,” Pratt insists.
“Honestly, with Terence, everything is a competition.
“Everything.
“That’s what drives him, and what makes him so successful.
“It can be anything from the weight he’s lifting in the gym, or his scores on a hand-eye coordination test.
“He’ll even take time to check and see if training partners are cheating on something I’ve prescribed for the group …”
However, it’s not just those who share the training floor who provide competition.
“Terence is also wanting to beat the results of any UFC fighter who sits round his weight class,” Pratt continues. “And also while competing against himself.
“I love that.
“He’s just forever wanting to know who is the best – at everything.”
Which isn’t what anyone is talking about this week.
No, this week it’s all about those pictures.
Yet before jumping off Zoom and back onto the UFC gym floor, Pratt tells you quickly about some of what he saw in Crawford’s final workout with him last Friday.
A physical session where, he stresses, the end result was about far more than any snaps melting Instagram.
“Because the way Terence moved,” Pratt grins, “yeah, that looked fantastic as well”.