NEW YORK -- When the fight between WBO welterweight champion, Terence Crawford, and former junior welterweight champion, Amir Khan, was announced it was roundly mocked. Fans had already seen Khan lose to top fighters before and figured this go around wouldn't be much different. Despite much pessimism on social media, this will actually be Crawford's toughest test to date as a welterweight. Crawford will not only be risking his WBO belt but also his status as a top one or two pound-for-pound fighter when he gets in the ring with Khan on April 20 on ESPN pay-per-view.
If Crawford (34-0, 25 KOs) isn't the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world he is certainly number two. The 31-year-old has the uncanny ability to fluidly switch from the orthodox to southpaw stance and he finds plenty of success either way. Crawford usually begins fights from the orthodox stance but spends the majority of the fight as a southpaw. As an orthodox fighter Crawford has a nice left hook and hard straight right hand. His jab in that stance is good but it gets even better as a southpaw and he has a mean right hook to go along with it. Crawford is the type of fighter who gets more dangerous if you tag him a few times because it really seems to make him angry that his opponent was able to catch him clean. What makes him so dangerous, besides the fact that he's so good at switching stances, is that he fights well from the pocket or the outside and his defense is quite good.
As a junior welterweight Crawford was able to do something that only a few other fighters have, become undisputed. In the four belt era only Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor, Cecelia Braekhus, and now Claressa Shields have achieved the same feat. Since moving to welterweight, Crawford has faced quality fighters with name recognition in Jeff Horn and Jose Benavidez Jr. but they aren't very versatile fighters. He also holds wins over Yuriorkis Gamboa, Viktor Postol, and John Molina Jr., among others. Unifying the welterweight division won't be easy for the Nebraska native who is aligned with Top Rank. That's because the other champions in the division - Errol Spence Jr., Keith Thurman, and Shawn Porter - are all aligned with Premier Boxing Champions and in today's boxing climate it isn't common for top fighters to cross promotional or network lines. Before any talk of those fights even starts though Crawford will need to handle business against the fast and highly skilled Khan.
If Khan (33-4, 20 KOs) had a good chin he might very well be a top 10 pound-for-pound boxer. He has always had some of the fastest hands in the sport and has the ability to put together some beautiful combinations. What has let him down is his lack of defense and a weak chin. The U.K.'s Khan has a very good left hook and a right hand that can also do damage but despite having very fast hands, he doesn't use his jab nearly enough. With the speed he has he should be controlling fights with that quick jab and landing his power shots off of it. Part of the reason is so well known for his glass chin is because he often throws too many punches in a combination and gets caught while he's throwing his hands. Khan seems especially vulnerable to the overhand right so he could have some serious issues with a fighter like Crawford who can throw right hands as an orthodox fighter or great right hooks as a southpaw.
Say what you want about Khan - people certainly trash him a lot on social media - but he never shies away from a tough test. Yes, he's been brutally knocked out by Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, Danny Garcia, Breidis Prescott, and dropped a decision to Lamont Peterson. Yet he was able to beat Paulie Malignaggi, Marcos Maidana, Devon Alexander, and Zab Judah. Any fight where Khan can avoid catching that one big shot on the chin is a fight Khan can win and he is testing himself against the best yet again by taking on Crawford.
This should end up being a better fight than many people are expecting. Khan has the speed and skills to hang with Crawford and Crawford isn't the type of fighter who scores many highlight reel one-punch knockouts. Expect the early rounds to be very close and for Khan to win his fair share of them. Khan will want to keep Crawford on the outside where he can try and use his speed to sharp shoot him. Crawford doesn't mind eating a few shots as long as he can get inside and do damage though and it will be difficult for Khan to keep him at the end of his punches for all 12 rounds. Look for Crawford to show Khan respect early but pick up the pace in the second half of the fight and do some damage at close range.
PREDICTION: Amir Khan is no slouch and he will win rounds in this fight. He will give a solid account of himself and show once again that he has the skills to hang with any fighter in the division. None of that will be enough though. Terence Crawford is a top two pound-for-pound fighter and he has a serious mean streak. After the first half of this fight is pretty even, Crawford will step on the gas and stop Khan late, in the 11th round.
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| Crawford celebrating his stoppage of Jose Benavidez Jr. |
As a junior welterweight Crawford was able to do something that only a few other fighters have, become undisputed. In the four belt era only Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor, Cecelia Braekhus, and now Claressa Shields have achieved the same feat. Since moving to welterweight, Crawford has faced quality fighters with name recognition in Jeff Horn and Jose Benavidez Jr. but they aren't very versatile fighters. He also holds wins over Yuriorkis Gamboa, Viktor Postol, and John Molina Jr., among others. Unifying the welterweight division won't be easy for the Nebraska native who is aligned with Top Rank. That's because the other champions in the division - Errol Spence Jr., Keith Thurman, and Shawn Porter - are all aligned with Premier Boxing Champions and in today's boxing climate it isn't common for top fighters to cross promotional or network lines. Before any talk of those fights even starts though Crawford will need to handle business against the fast and highly skilled Khan.
If Khan (33-4, 20 KOs) had a good chin he might very well be a top 10 pound-for-pound boxer. He has always had some of the fastest hands in the sport and has the ability to put together some beautiful combinations. What has let him down is his lack of defense and a weak chin. The U.K.'s Khan has a very good left hook and a right hand that can also do damage but despite having very fast hands, he doesn't use his jab nearly enough. With the speed he has he should be controlling fights with that quick jab and landing his power shots off of it. Part of the reason is so well known for his glass chin is because he often throws too many punches in a combination and gets caught while he's throwing his hands. Khan seems especially vulnerable to the overhand right so he could have some serious issues with a fighter like Crawford who can throw right hands as an orthodox fighter or great right hooks as a southpaw.
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| Khan catching Samuel Vargas with a right hand |
This should end up being a better fight than many people are expecting. Khan has the speed and skills to hang with Crawford and Crawford isn't the type of fighter who scores many highlight reel one-punch knockouts. Expect the early rounds to be very close and for Khan to win his fair share of them. Khan will want to keep Crawford on the outside where he can try and use his speed to sharp shoot him. Crawford doesn't mind eating a few shots as long as he can get inside and do damage though and it will be difficult for Khan to keep him at the end of his punches for all 12 rounds. Look for Crawford to show Khan respect early but pick up the pace in the second half of the fight and do some damage at close range.
PREDICTION: Amir Khan is no slouch and he will win rounds in this fight. He will give a solid account of himself and show once again that he has the skills to hang with any fighter in the division. None of that will be enough though. Terence Crawford is a top two pound-for-pound fighter and he has a serious mean streak. After the first half of this fight is pretty even, Crawford will step on the gas and stop Khan late, in the 11th round.
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