Fans are excited about the possibility of Terence Crawford moving up to welterweight to challenge unbeaten Tim Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs) for his WBO junior middleweight title next.
The fight still hasn’t reached the negotiations stage, but Crawford’s coach, Bernie Davis, is in favor of the contest, and Tszyu seems to like the idea as well.
Trainer Stephen Edwards is predicting a knockout win for Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) over the 29-year-old Tszyu, and he says Terence hits just as hard as him. That might surprise some boxing fans because he is bigger than Crawford and is viewed as a killer puncher.
Crawford’s Potential Masterclass
“If Crawford moved up to fight him, it would be a great fight. I would favor Crawford to win by a late knockout,” said Stephen Edwards to MillCity Boxing, discussing a potential fight between Terence Crawford and WBO junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu.
It’s difficult to know how well Crawford will handle the power of fighters at 154, like Tszyu, because he hasn’t faced a puncher like him during his 16-year professional career. Crawford has been given a little too much praise for his victory over a depleted Errol Spence Jr.
“Only special fighters in the history of boxing have won titles at 135 and 154. Roberto Duran, Pernell Whitaker, Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. I’m sorry, six. Shane Mosley. Terence Crawford will be the seventh,” said Edwards.
“If he [Crawford] can pull that off, it’ll be a tremendous accomplishment, and he’ll be the seventh man in history to do it, and I would favor him to do it. I think he’ll win the fight.
“It’s everything. His mind. He’s operating at a master level right now,” said Stephen about Crawford. “He’s so comfortable in the ring. He’s seeing everything.
Tszyu’s Punching Power
Tszyu is a pretty good puncher. I don’t think he’s a dynamite, knock your head off your head, but I think he’s a split puncher.
“I think he can punch, but I don’t know. I don’t view him as a brutal puncher. I view him as a very good puncher. He didn’t stop Terrell Gausha. He didn’t stop Brian Mendoza.
“I think he’s a solid puncher, but I don’t think he’s a lifetaker. I don’t look at him like that. I don’t think he’s no better puncher than Terence. I think he [Tszyu] kind of wears you down,” said Edwards.
