Terence Crawford’s legacy continues to be debated despite his undefeated record and dominance across multiple weight divisions, as questions about his résumé have resurfaced in recent weeks.
One of the arguments is that ‘Bud’ did not fight enough young elite fighters, instead beating opponents who were past their peak.
However, the 38-year-old has been making clear that he tried to fight some names of the younger generation, and it was not his fault that it did not happen.
Why Terence Crawford vs Sebastian Fundora did not happen, according to ‘Bud’
Crawford, a five-division world champion who retired with a 42-0 record, has explained that he actively pursued fights with both Tim Tszyu and Fundora but was turned away.
“I tried to fight Tim Tszyu before he fought Fundora. And they basically was like, ‘Nah.’ They want to go the Fundora route,” he told Jai McAllister in a YouTube video.
He suggested promotional dynamics played a role, particularly given his victory over Errol Spence Jr.
“They’re like, ‘Man, he’s not about to do this to us again, he just beat Spence.’ So basically they talked him out of it.”
After Fundora defeated Tszyu, ‘Bud’ said he immediately pushed for that fight as well.
“So Fundora got the victory. He got two titles. All right, cool. I want to fight Fundora. They said no.
“His handler said, ‘No, we want to fight Spence. Spence is a bigger fight than you.’ I just beat him. But okay, cool.”
Fundora, who stands over 6 ft 5 in and recently retained his title with a stoppage win over Keith Thurman, has emerged as a unique presence in the division.
Sebastian Fundora fight could have addressed criticism around Terence Crawford’s résumé
A bout between Crawford and Fundora would have directly addressed one of the main criticisms levelled at the former champion right now.
Ryan Garcia recently questioned whether Crawford had consistently faced younger elite fighters, reigniting debate around his career choices.
Fundora would have represented both a high-level opponent and a stylistic challenge, particularly given the significant size difference.
Crawford, who is 5 ft 8, would have had to face an opponent almost 25 centimetres taller than him.
That contrast alone could have made the fight one of the most intriguing matchups available at the time.
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