Coach Brian ‘BoMac’ McIntyre expressed his viewpoint that Terence Crawford might have “two or three” additional bouts before concluding his professional boxing career.
BoMac Shares Thoughts on Hypothetical Crawford Triumph Over Canelo
‘BoMac’ indicated his openness to the possibility of Crawford (42-0, 31 KOs) dropping down to the 160-pound division for his subsequent contest, rather than remaining at 168 pounds to defend the undisputed super middleweight title, a title some speculate he would have hypothetically secured against Canelo Alvarez on a speculative date of September 13.
“He presented a picture of dominance,” coach Brian ‘BoMac’ McIntyre commented to the media, seemingly depicting a favorable, potentially embellished portrayal of Terence Crawford’s contested victory against Canelo Alvarez, describing it as a display of “dominance”, whereas the actual event on the supposed date of September 13th was perceived by some as a closely fought battle.
‘BoMac’ appears to be exhibiting traits associated with a certain persuasion tactic, characterized by persistent claims that Crawford’s performance over Canelo was demonstrative of sheer “dominance,” despite the bout itself and subsequent assessments suggesting a tightly contested affair.
The objective behind portraying it as a “dominant” showing for Crawford is aimed at shaping public perception of Terence, potentially crafting a skewed representation of his actual performance. The intention behind this is to enhance the prospect of Crawford securing lucrative, high-profile matchups.
If a considerable segment of the fanbase is swayed by this narrative, and if Turki Alalshikh, Bud’s supporter, holds a similar viewpoint, it could increase the likelihood of Crawford receiving invitations to future, financially rewarding encounters. The reality is that the contest was closely decided. If BoMac, the media, and the fans repeat this inaccurate portrayal sufficiently, it might elevate his perceived standing beyond his actual performance. Realistically, his showing was marginally superior to that of Canelo, who appeared to some as being past his prime.
Given this context, it’s understandable why BoMac might support Crawford’s potential move down to the 160-pound division. The competition at that weight may be perceived to be more manageable. If he remains at 168 pounds, the likelihood of a defeat increases, as he would be expected to face formidable contenders, such as Christian Mbilli or Osleys Iglesias.
BoMac Projects Two or Three Remaining Fights
“He likely has two or three fights remaining. The training regimen was more demanding [than the potential hypothetical Canelo Alvarez fight]. If he seeks to challenge himself, I am receptive to the idea,” ‘BoMac’ stated when queried about his interest in Crawford potentially dropping to 160 pounds. “That would be a positive development.”
If Crawford has two or three fights left, according to ‘BoMac’s’ prediction, it would be interesting to determine which middleweight titleholders he will ultimately face. He would inevitably relinquish his four 168-pound titles at some juncture if he opts to remain at 160 pounds, thus avoiding title defenses against emerging talents in the division who might blemish his unblemished record. A considerable number of fighters could potentially achieve that outcome if Crawford were to challenge them at 168 pounds.
Hypothetical Crawford Battles Against Middleweight Champions at 160
It’s conceivable that Crawford could attain undisputed champion status in a fourth weight class if he remains at 160 pounds to engage with these titleholders:
- Janibek Alimkhanuly: IBF and WBO
- Erislandy Lara: WBA
- Carlos Adames: WBC
If Crawford’s primary objective is to secure just one of the titles to augment his career accomplishments by becoming a six-division world champion, the 42-year-old Lara would be the recommended opponent for his next bout. He hasn’t competed in over a year and is of advanced age, potentially presenting Crawford with a favorable opportunity for victory.
The one titleholder Bud should strategically avoid is Janibek (17-0, 12 KOs) due to his power and southpaw stance. Consequently, he wouldn’t be caught off guard if Crawford were to adopt his left-handed stance.
It would likely be physically unrealistic for Crawford to unify all the belts given his approximate once-a-year competition schedule. He might become too old to overcome them all.
Ideally, he requires a scenario in which others accomplish the preliminary work for him, analogous to the events at 140, 147, and 168 pounds, where the belts were consolidated by a single individual. Subsequently, Crawford could enter the arena and compete for all four or three of the titles.
