By Jeff Zimmerman –
Credit: Photos by Mikey Williams / Top Rank –
Undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) lightweight champion and the Boxing Writers Association of America’s (BWAA) Fighter of the Year Terence “Bud” Crawford (25-0, 17 KOs), from Omaha, NE, hosted a workout and spoke to the media today at the Irving PAL Boxing Gym in his final days of training for his WBO junior welterweight world title rumble against Puerto Rican buzz saw Thomas “Thunder” Dulorme (22-1, 14 KOs), the #2 world-rated contender.
The Crawford-Dulorme world title fight will take place this Saturday at College Park Center, located on the campus of the University of Texas Arlington in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The world championship fight will be televised as part of a split site doubleheader live on HBO Boxing After Dark, beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.
Crawford spoke to Fightnews and other media prior to his workout at the Irving PAL Boxing Gym.
On the recent HBO broadcast – 2 Days: Terence Crawford – where it showed how grueling it was to make weight, how has it been for this fight?
This is a piece of a cake, a walk in the park – as you can see I don’t have any problems doing anything.
What are your thoughts on guys that don’t make weight, such as Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin this past weekend against Andy Lee?
I just think it’s unprofessional. You know, I just feel like if you know deep down in your heart that you can’t make the weight, then don’t fight at that weight.
Do you think the belts don’t matter as much anymore?
I don’t think so, because you can get walked into a title and fight somebody that is not even worthy enough to fight for the title instead of fighting a champion. Like there are so many titles out here, who knows who the champion is. You got the interim, you got the champion, you got the super champion. You know I’m just into one champion. If you got the WBO Belt, you’re the champ. If you’re the WBA you’re the champ, not the WBA Interim Champion, not the WBA Super Champion, IBF this or IBF that. I just feel like it’s uncalled for to have so many belts out there.
So the belt does matter to you still?
It does. The belts always going to matter, but I just feel like there are a lot of belts out there. You know, anybody can be a champion if you have a good record, a good promotional team behind him, and a good manager behind him.
With the chance to become 2 division weight champ – what’s that mean for you to win multiple titles at this stage of your career since you are still on the rise?
It means a lot. There is no telling where I am going to end up in my career. You know I feel like it is all beginning and it starts Saturday. I got to get the job done.
With all the 140-pounders fighting lately and it being a stacked division, do you feel like you have to make a statement in this fight.
Well every time I step foot in the ring I like to make a statement – that’s nothing new. I like to put on a good show and great performance every time I step foot in the ring that way I leave something with the fans every single time.
Did you add anything new in training?
Not really. You know we got little secrets but you know we are going to show that Saturday.
What do you expect from Dulorme Saturday?
Well I expect him to come hard and try and knock me out, boxing whatever he wants to do, but I am going to be prepared for whatever – so that’s what training is for – to be prepared for whatever you don’t just prepare for one thing. He (Dulorme) likes to throw a looping right hand, a straight right hand, more than just one punch. We are going to have to capitalize on a lot of mistakes that he makes in there too.
How does it feel to be fighting in Omaha recently and now back on the road in Dallas?
It feels normal. It feels normal. At the end of the day, we are still going to have to get in that square, no matter if we are in Omaha or Dallas.
How was the atmosphere in your last fight in Dallas?
It was a great atmosphere. I like it, the support that I got from the fans here and the fans that came from Omaha coming to support me – it was great.
What are the challenges that Dulorme poses since he is a bigger, tougher guy?
See a lot of people think he’s bigger and tougher until you get in the ring you don’t know that.
You might see a fighter on video but may be different in the ring?
That’s correct. You might think one thing but when you get in the ring you might see something else. So I don’t prepare for what I have seen in his last fight, I prepare for me. I worry about myself, what I am going to do when I get in there, that way I don’t get any surprises.
Do you feel stronger at 140?
Of course.
In what way?
In every way – you know – come Saturday you’re going to see.
What are the differences from fighting a lightweight to fighting at 140?
There’s really no difference. You are just fighting a stronger lightweight. Beltran was a strong lightweight. I don’t know how strong Dulorme is. I have never been in the ring with him, but Saturday we will all see how strong he is.
In years past, a fighter of your caliber would have all the attention in boxing, but with Mayweather vs Pacquiao out there and you are also fighting on a HBO Doubleheader, do you feel like you’re getting lost in the shuffle with all the skill you bring to the table?
Not really. I feel like everybody is still excited about the fight, they still take notice, but you know Mayweather and Pacquiao, come on (laughing). No fight out there is going to get even close to comparing to that fight. That’s the fight that people have been wanting to see for many, many years, you know now that it’s here; it is going to take the big chunk of any fight that’s put together.
What about the chance of fighting Pacquiao down the road after getting through this fight?
That has never been run across me.
Would you like to fight him at some point?
If that’s the fight my manager, promoter, everybody agree upon so be it.
What do you think about the new PBC series on regular TV?
I think it’s good for boxing. You know you have the people that can’t afford cable to watch great, championship boxing on regular TV and that causes boxing to get bigger, more people to tune into it. You know, you see the UFC on Spike TV and that’s huge and I feel like it’s great for boxing that it’s back on regular TV.
Did you watch the Garcia vs Peterson fight? What were your thoughts?
Yes, I thought it was kind of iffy, because I felt some of the early rounds they could have gave to Peterson and Peterson took the later rounds so in my eyes I would have gave Peterson the edge, but in a way I would have gave Garcia the edge. It was kind of hard to say who really won because I am not a judge.
How about fighting Garcia or Peterson one day?
If that fight presents itself, so be it. I am up to fighting anybody as you can see; I never turn down any fight. If my manager comes to me to say this is the fight that we are going to fight, that’s fight we are going to fight.
At 140, not 143 (like the catch weight for Garcia vs Peterson)?
At 140!
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