Throughout his 41 fight professional career, Terence Crawford has faced several elite opponents but he recalls one hitting him harder than the others.
In just a few weeks’ time, Terence Crawford will take on his toughest test to date when he meets Canelo Alvarez at the Allegiant Stadium for the undisputed super middleweight title.
The fight is not only significant because it is for the undisputed title but also because it is TKO boxing‘s inaugural event, with UFC boss Dana White set to run his first major boxing show as a promoter.
Crawford is the underdog heading into the fight because of the fact that he’s moving up in weight to take on the Mexican, who will likely pack more of a punch than any of his previous opponents.
Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty ImagesCrawford gave surprising pick for hardest hitter he’s ever faced
‘Bud’ Crawford has competed most of his career at lightweight, light welterweight and welterweight, with him moving up to super middleweight to take on the Mexican.
Although Canelo isn’t widely known as a devastating knockout artist, with only 39 of his 63 wins having come by knockout, he will still likely pack more of a punch than all of Crawford’s previous opponents.
Canelo snubbed Gennady Golovkin when he named James Kirkland as the hardest hitter he’s faced throughout his storied career.
And with that, ‘Bud’ also gave a surprising answer when he was asked the hardest hitter he’s ever faced.
“The hardest puncher than I got hit by, I don’t know. (Egidijus Kavaliauskas) was the strongest, he was definitely the strongest, he can punch. But I would still have to say (Yuriorkis) Gamboa, he caught me with the hardest punch,” Crawford told Ring Champs.
“Yeah, he caught me with the hardest punch,” Crawford confirmed.
Crawford came from behind to beat Gamboa
Gamboa is widely regarded as Crawford’s toughest fight to date and he had to come from behind in the fight to eventually retain his WBO lightweight title.
Gamboa began the fight the better of the two, using his speed advantage over Crawford. Eventually, though, ‘Bud’ adjusted to the fight and began to take over. In the fifth round he scored his first knockdown of the fight.
Again in the eighth round Gamboa hit the deck before making it back up to his feet. But after being knocked down twice in the ninth round, the referee called a stop to the action.