Fibroso
12-28-2014, 01:28 PM
Fighter of the year: Terence Crawford
In 2013, lightweight Terence Crawford gave fight fans a glimpse of what was to come when he fearlessly moved up to junior welterweight to take an HBO-televised fight on short notice against dangerous puncher Breidis Prescott.
While there were some on Crawford's team concerned about the fight, his first scheduled 10-rounder and first significant television exposure against easily his best opponent, Crawford was cool as could be. And on fight night he delivered a dominating performance in a near-shutout decision win. He had announced his arrival and went on to win two more lopsided fights last year to move closer to the top of the 135-pound division.
Rafael's fighters of the year 2014: Terence Crawford
2013: Floyd Mayweather Jr.
2012: Nonito Donaire
2011: Andre Ward
2010: Sergio Martinez
2009: Manny Pacquiao
2008: Manny Pacquiao
2007: Floyd Mayweather Jr.
2006: Manny Pacquiao
2005: Ricky Hatton
2004: Glen Johnson
2003: James Toney
2002: Vernon Forrest
2001: Bernard Hopkins
2000: Felix Trinidad
As good of a year as he had in 2013, Crawford, known as "Bud" to his hometown fans in Omaha, Nebraska, had an even better 2014 campaign and established himself as the world's No. 1 lightweight. Back down at 135 pounds, he won all three of his fights in impressive fashion, beat three quality opponents, won a world title, engaged in a fight of the year candidate, became a bona fide ticket seller in Omaha and positioned himself for huge future business, including as a possible Manny Pacquiao opponent.
The 27-year-old Crawford truly arrived. For his tremendous campaign, he is the 2014 ESPN.com fighter of the year.
In March, Crawford (25-0, 17 KOs) did something very difficult as he went on the road to Glasgow, Scotland, the hometown of lightweight titleholder Ricky Burns, who received some close calls on home turf. But Crawford put on a dazzling performance and rolled to the clear decision and took Burns' world title.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum fulfilled his promise to Crawford by putting on his first title defense in Omaha in June. A wild crowd of 10,943 turned out for the first world title fight in the city in 42 years, since Joe Frazier defended the world heavyweight title against Omaha's Ron Stander in 1972. And Crawford didn't face a low-level opponent as some fighters might do in a first defense, especially at home. Instead, Crawford faced a serious foe in undefeated former unified featherweight titleholder Yuriorkis Gamboa, the superfast 2004 Cuban Olympic gold medalist.
It turned out to be a fantastic and dramatic fight, but one that Crawford ultimately took over as he dropped Gamboa four times en route to a thrilling ninth-round knockout.
In November, Crawford once again defended the title in Omaha, this time in front of 11,127 as he took on worthy mandatory challenger Raymundo Beltran, who had gotten ripped off in a draw in Scotland against Burns in the fight before Crawford beat him. While some may have considered Beltran to be the uncrowned titleholder going into the fight with Crawford, there was no such discussion by the time it was over. Crawford put on a boxing master class in a virtual shutout decision.
Crawford, now firmly established as an HBO cornerstone fighter, is set to move up to junior welterweight in 2015, where big bouts await him. He had a helluva 2014 and had an idea he would be in the fighter of the year running.
"After the Gamboa fight people were saying, 'You just went over to Scotland and beat Ricky Burns and then you beat a tough opponent in Gamboa, and now you're taking on another tough opponent in Beltran,'" Crawford said before facing Beltran. "Some guys might take a smaller fight but I'm fighting good guys back-to-back-to-back and I had people telling me I'll be fighter of the year if I keep it up. It put a smile on my face but it's just talk."
Not anymore.
Comment: He may be going up to 140, Pac is also thinking of fighting the little guys, so we may have a good one coming soon. Either Pac or Danny Boy.
In 2013, lightweight Terence Crawford gave fight fans a glimpse of what was to come when he fearlessly moved up to junior welterweight to take an HBO-televised fight on short notice against dangerous puncher Breidis Prescott.
While there were some on Crawford's team concerned about the fight, his first scheduled 10-rounder and first significant television exposure against easily his best opponent, Crawford was cool as could be. And on fight night he delivered a dominating performance in a near-shutout decision win. He had announced his arrival and went on to win two more lopsided fights last year to move closer to the top of the 135-pound division.
Rafael's fighters of the year 2014: Terence Crawford
2013: Floyd Mayweather Jr.
2012: Nonito Donaire
2011: Andre Ward
2010: Sergio Martinez
2009: Manny Pacquiao
2008: Manny Pacquiao
2007: Floyd Mayweather Jr.
2006: Manny Pacquiao
2005: Ricky Hatton
2004: Glen Johnson
2003: James Toney
2002: Vernon Forrest
2001: Bernard Hopkins
2000: Felix Trinidad
As good of a year as he had in 2013, Crawford, known as "Bud" to his hometown fans in Omaha, Nebraska, had an even better 2014 campaign and established himself as the world's No. 1 lightweight. Back down at 135 pounds, he won all three of his fights in impressive fashion, beat three quality opponents, won a world title, engaged in a fight of the year candidate, became a bona fide ticket seller in Omaha and positioned himself for huge future business, including as a possible Manny Pacquiao opponent.
The 27-year-old Crawford truly arrived. For his tremendous campaign, he is the 2014 ESPN.com fighter of the year.
In March, Crawford (25-0, 17 KOs) did something very difficult as he went on the road to Glasgow, Scotland, the hometown of lightweight titleholder Ricky Burns, who received some close calls on home turf. But Crawford put on a dazzling performance and rolled to the clear decision and took Burns' world title.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum fulfilled his promise to Crawford by putting on his first title defense in Omaha in June. A wild crowd of 10,943 turned out for the first world title fight in the city in 42 years, since Joe Frazier defended the world heavyweight title against Omaha's Ron Stander in 1972. And Crawford didn't face a low-level opponent as some fighters might do in a first defense, especially at home. Instead, Crawford faced a serious foe in undefeated former unified featherweight titleholder Yuriorkis Gamboa, the superfast 2004 Cuban Olympic gold medalist.
It turned out to be a fantastic and dramatic fight, but one that Crawford ultimately took over as he dropped Gamboa four times en route to a thrilling ninth-round knockout.
In November, Crawford once again defended the title in Omaha, this time in front of 11,127 as he took on worthy mandatory challenger Raymundo Beltran, who had gotten ripped off in a draw in Scotland against Burns in the fight before Crawford beat him. While some may have considered Beltran to be the uncrowned titleholder going into the fight with Crawford, there was no such discussion by the time it was over. Crawford put on a boxing master class in a virtual shutout decision.
Crawford, now firmly established as an HBO cornerstone fighter, is set to move up to junior welterweight in 2015, where big bouts await him. He had a helluva 2014 and had an idea he would be in the fighter of the year running.
"After the Gamboa fight people were saying, 'You just went over to Scotland and beat Ricky Burns and then you beat a tough opponent in Gamboa, and now you're taking on another tough opponent in Beltran,'" Crawford said before facing Beltran. "Some guys might take a smaller fight but I'm fighting good guys back-to-back-to-back and I had people telling me I'll be fighter of the year if I keep it up. It put a smile on my face but it's just talk."
Not anymore.
Comment: He may be going up to 140, Pac is also thinking of fighting the little guys, so we may have a good one coming soon. Either Pac or Danny Boy.