By Chris Williams: Jermell Charlo took to social media to rip Terence Crawford, saying he’ll be knocked out by Erickson ‘The Hammer’ Lubin when he moves up to 154.
Lubin (24-2, 17 KOs) would be a really difficult fight for Crawford because he’s got punching power and toughness to make it a grueling affair. Crawford won’t be looking to fight a dangerous puncher like Lubin when he moves up to 154.
What Crawford will be hoping for is an immediate world title shot against Charlo without having to take a risk against the likes of Lubin, Sebastian Fundora, Tim Tszyu, or Tony Harrison.
“Lubin will KO TC. Move up to 154, we’ll see,” said Jermell Charlo on Twitter.
“I KO’d better opposition [than he’s] ever done. Who has he knocked out? Who has he fought?”
Also, with Crawford having just turned 35, he can’t afford to wait two or three years before he challenges for a title because he’s getting old. Crawford hasn’t fought in a year since his victory over gatekeeper Shawn Porter, and he only fought once in 2020.
“Aww, you wanted some attention,” said Crawford.
How you a boxer but try to play matchmaker to keep mf off yo ass 🤠boy you a real life movie character.
— Terence Crawford (@terencecrawford) September 30, 2022
Crawford hasn’t been active in the last two years, and he’s going to have a lot of ring rust on him when he moves up to 154, looking to fight Charlo for his undisputed championship.
Understandably, Charlo would be taking a shot against the Omaha, Nebraska native Crawford because he’s got ideas in his head of moving up to 154 soon, perhaps before the end of the year, to challenge for the undisputed championship.
If Crawford isn’t able to negotiate a fight with IBF, WBA & WBO welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr, he’s going to use his WBO 147-lb title to get a #1 ranking at 154 to challenge Jermell for his WBO belt.
It’s still debatable whether the Spence vs. Crawford fight will take place because the negotiations hit a snag today. According to ESPN, Crawford wants transparency related to the event expenses. If he can’t get what he wants, the fight with Spence might not happen. Crawford would then likely move up to 154 rather than staying at 147 and risking his hide against Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis.
Undisputed junior middleweight champion Jermell (35-1-1, 19 KOs) asked, “who has he knocked out?” The only notable fighters that the 35-year-old Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs) has stopped in his 14-year professional career were Kell Brook and Shawn Porter. Those guys were both softened up by Errol Spence Jr before Crawford got to them.