Fight Spotlight: Terence Crawford Vs Felix Diaz

By Anthony “Zute” George

Terence Crawford, 30-0, 21 KO’s is back inside the ring this weekend in the mecca of boxing, Madison Square Garden. Crawford’s WBC and WBO 140-pound titles are on the line. Crawford has been in the news lately for all the wrong reasons. While I will not speak of his legal issues in detail, it is important to keep in mind. Such a super talent, as Crawford is, needs to stay focused and active. Too many boxers have not been able

to conquer whatever demons they have which would put them in dire straits with the law; Tony Ayala, JR. comes to mind as one of the more tragic stories of wasted talent. Crawford is not close to wasting his talent yet, and we all hope his troubles with the law are behind him.

What is in front of Crawford is a great boxing career. His plentiful talents have Bob Arum and HBO dreaming of Crawford manifesting into the next great PPV cash cow. So far that dream has not panned out. Crawford’s PPV audition, against the formidable Viktor Postol, generated, at best, modest numbers; putting plans of Crawford fighting exclusively on PPV on hold.

Crawford must be an active champion if he wants to return to PPV. First up in 2017 is Felix Diaz, 19-1, 9 KO’s, from the Dominican Republic. Diaz is ranked number 3 by the WBC and number 10 by the WBO. His resume is solid; with wins over formidable opposition such as Gabriel Franco, Sammy Vasquez and Levi Morales, but not spectacular. Diaz’ lone defeat was against Lamont Peterson, clearly the best fighter he laced ‘em up against. Diaz gave a good account of himself in a losing effort against Peterson.

To say this fight is a mismatch might be overreaching, however, I can say with confidence that Diaz on his best night would have trouble beating Crawford on his worst night. This statement is not a reflection on Diaz being a bad fighter, he is certainly a formidable and hungry foe. It is just my belief that there are few fighters on the level of Crawford in boxing today. The tale of the tape does not bold well for Diaz either, as Crawford owns a healthy height and reach advantage over Diaz. Crawford can control this fight at distance. Even if Diaz can close distance, Crawford is a marvelous inside fighter.

The one wildcard Diaz brings into this fight is that he is a southpaw. Crawford’s record is missing formidable southpaws. Hank Lundy was a fighter who likes to switch, but not considered a true left-hander. If Diaz can land with a straight left; a key punch for any southpaw, with consistency, he can potentially frustrate Crawford. Of course, Crawford loves to switch during his fights and does so in smooth fashion. Crawford’s ability to fight lefty is a wildcard in its own right.

While the cards are stacked against Diaz, this fight is worth watching for a couple of reasons. First, Diaz is a fighter. He will bring it as best as he can and show resistance. The fact that Diaz will not be an easy out should bring out the best in Terrence. Second, it is Terence Crawford. That special talent that is must see television. You want to see every second of every round from a great fighter, regardless of the opposition.

If Crawford reigns supreme Saturday, tougher opposition waits down the road for Crawford. The rumor of Mikey Garcia moving up to 140 to fight Crawford is the kind of fight boxing fans pray for. The fact that Garcia fought Arum and Top Rank in court makes the fight a long shot. But we can always dream. Crawford moving up to 147 is also a fight fans dream. The welterweight division is a who’s who of superstars and Crawford would fit in that division like a glove. For now, we will have to settle for Crawford’s gloves against respectable, but second tier competition.

See you at the fights.

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