You need some way to put Terence Crawford’s body of work into perspective? How about this: Even when he’s on the verge of doing something that would count as a career-defining accomplishment for any other fighter, it is not new territory for him. Not even a little bit.
Take Saturday night’s fight with world junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov (10-0-1, 7 KOs), for instance. The whole moving up in weight to capture another title thing is usually something special and relatively rare. But for Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs), who already owns titles in three other divisions, it’s getting to be almost routine.
The process itself is no mystery to him. Other fighters worry about how their strength, their power or their chins will hold up against bigger opponents. Crawford doesn’t seem to sweat it, in part because he’s already done it so much.
“I think the key is to know when's the right time for your body to move up the healthy way,” Crawford told Yahoo Sports this week. “Some people, they either move up too fast or they don't move up fast enough. But your body will let you know when it's outgrown the weight division, and I believe that my body has told me that it outgrew 147 (pounds).”
But against a younger foe like Madrimov, who naturally walks around somewhere in the mid-170-pound range, there are those who feel like this time Crawford might be about to run up against his physical limits. While his technical ability and fight IQ are never a question, his ability to deal with Madrimov’s power while bringing his own with him to a higher division very well could be.
Madrimov’s trainer, Joel Diaz, who knows Crawford well after their early years in the gym together, has suggested that Crawford might face more risk than he thinks against a fighter who’s “a solid 154 (pounds),” as Madrimov is.
"Those who know boxing," Diaz added, "know what age does."
Crawford, 36, has made good use of that age and experience, however. Even his detractors will admit that it’s hard to find a smarter, savvier fighter at any weight class. Madrimov might have strength and youth, but he doesn’t have that same polish and poise that Crawford has gained from so many big fights.
“I think he's a good fighter,” Crawford said of Madrimov. “I think he’s got a lot of talent. I think he’s got a lot of skills and abilities that a lot of people that wouldn't know boxing would miss. But that's for us to see and them to find out. He’s a good fighter. He's more than what people are looking at him to be.”
Still, Crawford has been accused of looking past Madrimov. There are those who will say he’s only taking this fight to help him set up a bigger payday in a showdown with Canelo Alvarez further down the road.
There are also those who’ve pointed out that, while another title fight in another division might be business as usual for Crawford, for Madrimov it’s a much bigger deal, and therefore a much bigger motivator.
As the Uzbek fighter told ESPN this week, "(i)n one moment I can change my life and my family's life, and my friends' lives."
Facing a fighter like that while looking further down the road could lead to disaster, though Crawford insists that’s not an issue here.
“I moved up in weight to fight the best,” Crawford said. “I didn't move up in weight to scale myself and say, ‘Oh, I want to fight a 154-pounder and then fight Canelo at 168 (pounds).’ … I moved up in weight because I wanted to fight the best guy in the division. I feel like Israil is the best guy in the division, so that's why we’re fighting.”
But it’s hard not to wonder where a win here would leave Crawford. A title in a fourth weight class would certainly help cement him as one of boxing’s all-time greats. Even for a guy who’s taken good care of his body for the sake of longevity and consistency, the clock is ticking for any fighter drifting into his late 30s — especially in the lighter weight classes.
Crawford’s already got the respect and admiration of the boxing hardcores. Lately, he’s also gotten more shine in the broader sports world. Events like Saturday’s star-studded affair on DAZN (which includes a live performance by Eminem) will likely only boost that further if he wins and looks good doing it.
The legacy Crawford wants for himself, he said, is that of a fighter who “fought all comers.” And lately, it does seem like more people are finally starting to notice.
“At times I do get the respect now that I rightfully deserve,” Crawford. “It feels good to be doing something your whole life and to get the recognition that you’ve been yearning for for a decade. And now people are taking notice of you and giving you the respect that you deserved 10 years ago.”
Where it goes from here is still to be decided. But one more world title belt in the trophy case? Even for a man already burdened with trophies and accolades, that would be something special.
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