Terence Crawford’s trainer, Bernie Davis, says WBO junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu is the best option for his fighter to face next. If Crawford can’t get the Canelo Alvarez fight next in May, Tszyu could be the one that Bud faces next.
Bernie likes the idea of Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) having the opportunity to capture Tszyu’s WBO 154-lb title, as that would make him a four-division world champion if he’s victorious.
Moreover, the Australian Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs) is a popular fighter with an entire country behind him. The 29-year-old Tszyu has a massive following in Australia, and a fight between him and the superstar Crawford would likely fill one of the large stadiums in that country.
Tszyu had a big year in 2023, defeating these three fighters:
- Brian Mendoza : UD 12
- Carlos Ocampo: KO 1
- Tony Harrison: TKO 9
“This guy, Tszyu, is coming off a big win, beating [Brian] Mendoza, who is coming off a big win [over Sebastian ‘Towering Inferno’ Fundora]. Tszyu has got the country [Australia] behind him and has been looking good technically. He’s been looking better every fight, and he’s got the belt,” said Bernie Davis, the trainer for Terence Crawford, talking to MillCity Boxing about his next possible fight against WBO junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu.
Crawford would likely need to travel to Australia to make the fight with Tszyu happen, as it’s not a big enough one to fill a stadium in the U.S. It makes more money in Australia than in the States in terms of the gate.
“I think that would be [ideal to fight Tszyu], but we want Canelo,” said Davies. “We [Crawford] want to move up and still make history and still have something to get up for.
“Even though Boots is an attractive option, I think Tszyu is edging him just a little bit. Tszyu has fought the better competition, and I think he’s been looking for spectacular in his fights and he has the country behind.
“It’s another weight class to jump, and it’s another thing to aspire to. That’s where I think that we’ll land, but the options are open.
“I don’t think that Teofimo is realistic or Devin Haney is realistic just because he’s not going to do that,” said Davis.
A fight between Crawford Teofimo Lopez is totally unfeasible because Top Rank likely won’t agree to it, and Teo would price himself out.
