Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford: The Switch-Hitting Maestro’s Journey to Six-Time Champion

Sweet Science Saga
4 min readJan 4, 2024

--

Terence “Bud” Crawford, a name that resonates with boxing greatness, emerged from the shadows of adversity to become the pound-for-pound king, showcasing a switch-hitting style that bewilders opponents and instincts non like any other seen before. From the tough streets to the pinnacle of boxing glory, Crawford’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary.

40 wins 31 KOs 0 losses

The Early Years

Raised in the heart of Nebraska, Crawford faced a challenging upbringing. A promising prospect, he transitioned from orthodox to southpaw seamlessly due to an injury on his right hand, earning the moniker of the best switch-hitter in the sport. Despite a tumultuous childhood, including an incident where he was shot in the head in 2008, Crawford’s resilience only fueled his determination.

Young Crawford

First Challenge

Crawford’s early doubters were silenced when he faced an experienced Breidis Prescott instead of the initially slated Russian opponent. Dominating the lightweight division with an uncanny ability to switch stances, Crawford’s finesse and instinctive prowess in the ring were undeniable.

First Title Fight

Ricky Burns stood in Crawford’s way for the first title, but the Nebraskan fighter displayed remarkable boxing IQ, switching effortlessly between stances and securing the lightweight championship. Sending a message to all contenders that a new champion was in the making, that match would then set the precedent for arguably the greatest fighter of the century.

Terence Crawford Vs Ricky Burns

Next Test

A showdown with gold medalist Yuriorkis Gamboa showcased Crawford’s versatility, winning by KO and solidifying his Fighter of the Year status in 2014. His strategic style, combining pivoting and switching hitting, became his trademark sending Yuriokis Gamboa on a goose chase that would result in his TKO.

WBO Super Welterweight Champion

Two Belts Left

Crawford’s ease in defeating John Molina Jr showcased why Crawford was a champion dismantling the former champion and knocking him out in the 8th round caught the attention of Warren Buffet, setting the stage for a much-anticipated clash with Earl Spence.

Undisputed Super Lightweight Champion

Facing Julius Indongo, Crawford’s dominance continued, and with a liver-shattering body blow, he claimed another title, becoming the first man to hold all four belts in the super lightweight division.

Terence Crawford vs Julius Indongo

Welterweight Glory

Stepping up to welterweight, Crawford outclassed Horn, who had defeated previously Manny Pacquiao, marking another milestone by conquering three divisions.

Challenging Jose Benavidez Jr

A bout against Jose Benavidez Jr showcased Crawford’s ability to counter and brawl, facing a much more bigger and intimidating fighter, later all doubts were clear ultimately defeated the flat-footed opponent with a jaw-shattering uppercut.

Khan Showdown

In pursuit of greater challenges, Crawford took on a bigger and stronger Khan, dominating the ring with a first-round knock down, in later rounds Khan was given time after taking a low blow and his team threw in the towel and secured a technical knockout victory. Kan was no stranger to the sport and yet was dominated by Crawford which left fans relising what we know today Crawford was no normal champion he was a 1 in a billion fighter.

Cale Brook Stoppage

Although during the pandemic arenas were empty, Crawford’s journey reached a pinnacle with a one-sided stoppage against Cale Brook, solidifying his status as a six-time champion across three divisions.

Biggest Fight

Shawn Porter’s determination provided a tough challenge, at some point, Porter seemed to be getting the better of Crawford with boxing that was out of this world but Crawford’s strategic decoding and recovery of points led to two knockdowns by round 10, forcing Porter’s team to stop the fight. Crawford emerged victorious as a six-time champion, cementing his legacy as the pound-for-pound king.

Terence Crawford vs Shawn Porter

Although after Shawn Porter Crawford had 2 more fights, these fights just further showcase what we have already established, Crawford is a knock-out genius. Averaging a 78% knock-out ratio over 40 fights Crawford is bound to be a Hall of Famer with more to offer to the sport.

--

--

Sweet Science Saga

Join me going through the Sweet science of Boxing and all the Legends who have helped make it a phenomenal sport.