Kell Brook looks strong training for Terence Crawford fight

By Boxing News - 08/31/2020 - Comments

By Chris Williams: Terence Crawford may have his hands full in dealing with Kell Brook if his promoters at Top Rank can put this fight together for November.

The former IBF welterweight champion Brook (39-2, 27 KOs) posted a video of him working out on social media this past week, and he’s looking in great shape,

Brook, 34, appears to be in fighting shape and ready to dethrone WBO welterweight champion ‘Bud’ Crawford (36-0, 27 Os). Top Rank is still trying to negotiate the fight with junior middleweight contender Brook. However, the reported $1.5 million offer that Top Rank is rumored to have offered to Brook is said to have been rejected.

$1.5 million is NOT enough for Brook

Brook is said to be looking for $4 million, which is Amir Khan got for his contest against Crawford last year in April 2019. That was the fight in which Crawford hit Khan with a low blow in the sixth round, and the match subsequently halted.

Crawford seemed to get frustrated due to Khan landing a lot of shots on him, and giving him problems with his superior hand speed.

Image: Kell Brook looks strong training for Terence Crawford fight

Top Rank is going to have to increase the offer to Brook if they want to get him to agree to take the fight with Crawford. $1.5 million for a title shot against a guy that they view as the #1 pound-for-pound in boxing is extremely low.

It’s normal for promoters to start with a lowball offer and then work their way up to a figure that is generally below what the fighter is asking for.

Brook may accept less than $4 million, but he might not. He rates himself as a better fighter than Khan, and if he takes less than him, he would be devaluing his worth.

Brook has only lost twice in his career in injury stoppages to Gennadiy Golovkin and Errol Spence Jr.

Brook is in an excellent position to get the $4 million that he’s asking for. Crawford doesn’t have any other options. Top Rank isn’t going to offer the fight to Shawn Porter because he’s too dangerous for Crawford, and they’re not going to give the battle to Yordenis Ugas. Indeed, he says he wasn’t even offered it.

WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr. has been calling Crawford out, asking for a fight against him. Unfortunately, Top Rank hasn’t shown interest in letting Russell Jr. get a fight against Crawford.

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Thurman wants the Crawford fight

Keith Thurman offered to fight Crawford, but he wants $10 million to take the fight. If Crawford and Top Rank look at the fight against former WBA/WBC welterweight champion Thurman (29-1, 22 KOs) as an investment toward’s Terence’s future, then maybe they won’t be so negative on the idea of paying him his asking price.

Image: Kell Brook looks strong training for Terence Crawford fight

Assuming that Crawford sacrifices some of his purses, then he can incase the chances o him getting Thurman to agree to the fight.

“I talked about it, and I’m willing to take the fight, but no offer has ever been presented to me and nothing when it comes to a business standpoint,” said Yordenis Ugas to Premier Boxing Champions when asked if he’d like to fight Crawford.

Ugas would like a fight against Terence Crawford, and it’s a match that makes sense. If Top Rank doesn’t want to sweeten the deal for Brook to face Crawford, then Ugas would be perfect. He’s ranked #1 with the World Boxing Association at 147, and you can’t get any better than that when you’re looking at a highly rated contender for Crawford.

Crawford is mainly famous for what he did at lightweight and light welterweight during his career. He hasn’t beaten anyone notable since moving up to 147 in 2018. Crawford’s wins have come against these fighters: Amir Khan, Jeff Horn, Jose Benavidez Jr., and Egidijus Kavaliauskas.