Ilia Topuria is widely regarded as the best boxer in the UFC but boxing world champion Terence Crawford disagrees.
On September 13, Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez are set to clash in the biggest boxing fight of the year when they fight for the undisputed super middleweight title at the Allegiant Stadium.
Not only is the fight massively significant because of the title implications but it is also the inaugural event hosted by TKO boxing, with UFC boss Dana White promoting his first big boxing event.
With Crawford moving up several weight classes to take on the Mexican champion, he is heading into the clash as the underdog, despite being regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter by Floyd Mayweather.
Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty ImagesCrawford snubs Ilia Topuria when naming the best boxer in the UFC
Over the last few years, the UFC has caught up with boxing in terms of popularity, and the MMA powerhouse recently signed a huge $7.7 billion deal with Paramount as their new broadcasting partner, showcasing their power in sport.
The UFC’s biggest star heading into their new era is undoubtedly current lightweight champion Ilia Topuria, who continues to transcend the sport.
And not only is ‘El Matador’ widely regarded as the sport’s biggest current star, he is also widely recognized as the best boxer in UFC history, with a large portion of the fanbase under the belief that he could have a lot of success in the sport of boxing.
However, ahead of his clash against Canelo, Crawford has snubbed the Spaniard when giving his extremely shock pick for the best boxer in the UFC.
“My guy, what’s his name Cody (Garbrandt), he’s the best UFC boxer,” Crawford told Full Send.
“Yeah, (I’ve seen Topuria) but I don’t know man, Cody has got them hands. I’m saying when we’re talking about straight boxing, we ain’t talking about nothing else, we’re talking about straight boxing skills, I just think Cody has got the best boxing skills in the UFC,” Crawford continued.
What happened to Cody Garbrandt in the UFC?
Although Crawford’s pick comes as a huge shock, Cody Garbrandt was once regarded as the next big star in the UFC, and White even tipped him to be the next Conor McGregor.
Despite that, after losing his UFC bantamweight title in 2017, ‘No Love’s’ career rapidly went downhill and he has struggled to bounce back ever since.
The 34-year-old has lost his last two fights in the Octagon, and it is unclear if and when he will return to action.