Former two-weight undisputed champion Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford 40-0 (31) could be on a collision course with reigning WBO junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu 24-0 (17).
Up until recently the 36-year-old southpaw from Omaha, Nebraska was expected to face previous victim Errol ‘The Truth’ Spence Jr 28-1 (22) in a rematch, however the 33-year-old lefty from Desoto, Texas was forced to shelve those plans to undergo eye surgery.
ESPN’s Mike Coppinger updated his followers on social media on the state of play this week.
“Crawford signed a one-fight deal with PBC to meet Errol Spence last July, and after ‘Bud’ won the undisputed welterweight championship, Spence exercised the rematch clause,” Coppinger explained on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
“However, Spence underwent cataract surgery in January and the scheduling window provided by the rematch clause has since expired, meaning Crawford, like Canelo [Alvarez], is also a network and promotional free agent.”
WBO president Paco Valcercel revealed today that he would be meeting with Crawford next week to discuss a proposed move up in weight. As per the Puerto Rican sanctioning body’s rules, Crawford would be installed as the number one contender to their recently crowned champion Tszyu, 29, of Sydney, Australia.
Tszyu is set to defend his belt against former WBC and WBA welterweight champion Keith Thurman 28-1 (22) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 30.
“That will be a tough fight for Tszyu because Thurman can fight,” Valcarcel said to Fight Hype. “On paper, you have to pick Tszyu, but in boxing, anything can happen. The winner of that fight will have a tough cookie for his next mandatory.
“I can tell you, Crawford will be here next week. I’m not authorised to explain [to] you, make it public, but I have been talking to Crawford for long now.
“This is the first [interview] I’ve talked to about Crawford and the possibility of moving to 154 [pounds].”
Rumours of a Tszyu-Crawford fight have been around for awhile. Just last month a member of Crawford’s team flagged the possibility in an interview with MillCity Boxing.
“I think Tszyu will be the right one since we can’t get Spence,” Bernie Davis said.
“We want to move up and still make history, still have something to get up for and even though [Jaron] ‘Boots’ [Ennis] is an attractive option, I think Tszyu just edges him a little bit.
“I think Tszyu fought the better competition, I think he’s been looking more spectacular in his fights and he got the country [Australia] behind him.
“Plus, he has something that we want. It’s another weight class to jump and it’s another something to aspire to.
“So that’s where I would think we would land.”
Tszyu has long been chasing the big names in and around his division and Crawford is no exception.
Two weeks ago Tszyu said a bout between himself and Crawford could be a very real possibility.
“There have been talks between us,” Tszyu said to Fox Sports Australia. “And I give Crawford all respect. He’ll fight anyone. And that’s why I see him as such a great challenge. But I also see him as being beatable.”