Ilia Topuria Challenges Terence Crawford: An Improbable Crossover?
After Terence Crawford’s impressive victory over Canelo Álvarez, a new challenger has spoken up. However, Crawford doesn’t seem interested in this challenge. Ilia Topuria, undefeated UFC champion in two categories, has expressed his desire to try his luck in boxing and face Crawford, the undisputed champion in three divisions. Topuria, through social media, suggested that he would knock out Crawford in a boxing ring.Crawford responded by calling him “delusional” and “drunk”.
Terence Crawford
On Saturday, during the night of the fight, Topuria felt alluded to by Crawford’s entrance to the ring with “Canción del Mariachi”, a song that Topuria also uses for his entrances to the UFC cage. Crawford downplayed the comparison in the press conference after the fight, but Topuria did not remain silent and responded on social media.
Crawford, in addition to ignoring Topuria’s recent challenges, accused him of seeking fame and stated that he is not at Conor McGregor’s level.Crawford also mentioned that he has never seen Topuria fight and questioned why the UFC champion did not express his desire to fight him when they met at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas a few months ago.I think he’s trying to seek fame. I think he would get in the ring with me for the fight check. That’s what we all do it for, but at the same time, I don’t know what he’s doing. I don’t know what he’s thinking. There’s nothing to talk about.
Terence Crawford
Although the fights between boxers and MMA fighters have generated economic benefits for the participants, Crawford sees no value in a fight with “El Matador” and ruled out any comparison with the 2017 fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and McGregor. Crawford asked how much he would earn for fighting Topuria, arguing that he is not at Conor McGregor’s level.When he saw me in the UFC, he came to shake my hand and say hello. He didn’t even know who I was. But then I see him on the internet talking about how he’s going to knock me out in the first round and this and that. And now this. Well, if you wanted to fight me, you had the opportunity to tell me: ‘Hey, I want to fight you. What’s up?’. That’s fake.
Terence Crawford
