Terence Crawford: "Boxing Is Far From Dead"

The welterweight champion says his sport isn't close to being dead.

WBO Welterweight Champion Terence Crawford dismisses the idea that boxing is even close to going by the wayside.

It's a narrative that has been pushed ever since the rise of MMA, more specifically the UFC. Dana White has long claimed that the sport of boxing is corrupt and broken. Even some within the boxing world have criticized the sport's judging and big fights not happening when they should be.

Nowadays, however, boxing has regained a ton of momentum. With big fights such as Gervonta "Tank" Davis vs. Ryan Garcia taking place, many feel the sport is in a good spot. To add to that, a title unification bout between Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. will be taking place on July 29. It is easily the most highly anticipated boxing match of the year.

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Appearing on MMAFighting's "The MMA Hour," Crawford explained to Ariel Helwani why he thinks big boxing matches are coming to fruition in 2023.

"I just think it's the right time," Crawford said. "Time is everything in the sport of boxing and other sports as well. Right now, 2023 is the right time for boxing to keep rising because a lot of people think boxing is dead, and boxing is not dead. Boxing is far from dead. So, I guess now's the time to show the public and the people why boxing is still one of the top combat sports in the world."

Helwani then asked Crawford if it bothers him when people say that boxing is dead.

"Not really because mainly those are people that don't know too much about boxing," Crawford said. "They just look on the MMA side and look at two guys going in there brutally busting each other up and that's it. Half of the time, they don't even know the UFC. They just know two guys going in there fighting, blood, sweat, and tears, but they don't see the technique that goes into everything that's going on in the ring or in the Octagon. So, really I just don't pay no attention to them."

Crawford and Spence will collide inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO welterweight titles will be at stake to crown an undisputed champion.

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