Crawford Taunts Scottish Fans

Terence Crawford all the pressure is on Ricky Burns on Saturday night as the pair battle for the Scotsman’s WBO World Lightweight title at the SECC in Glasgow, live on Sky Sports – and says there’s nothing the 11,000 fans in the Arena can do to stop him.

The unbeaten American brings a fearsome reputation to Scotland with 22 wins and 16 of them inside the distance, and says he can handle the hostile home crowd as well as the champ in order to take the belt back to the States.

“Ricky has got the whole of Scotland depending on him,” said Crawford. “In the States we've got lots of World champions, in Scotland there's only one – Ricky Burns. The whole country is riding on Ricky because without him what is Scotland? The fans won't like it, but I am fine, I don't care, what can they do apart from yell and scream? I’ve fought the boos before and I'll do it again on Saturday.

“I knew I would have to come over to Scotland to fight Ricky, I have no problem with that, it's his fifth defence and he's earned the right to fight wherever he wants, that's cool with me. It's definitely my time now, it's been a bit slower than I wanted to get here but I am here now and I am ready to become a World champion, no doubt about it.”

Much has been made of Crawford’s lack of experience coming into Saturday’s fight – he has never boxed in a 12 round fight and has 81 pro rounds to Burns’ 281 – and there were even suggestions that he didn’t own a passport before he was told he’d be challenging the Scot on foreign soil.

Crawford laughed of that rumour and pointed out wins over Breidis Prescott (UD, 10) – who knocked out Amir Khan in one round in 2008 – and Alejandro Sanabria (sixth round TKO) as proof he can handle the pressure and rises to the occasion when he steps up.

“I've always had a passport,” said Crawford. “I travelled everywhere with the USA team so that's not true. We got stuck in Chicago trying to get over here because the plane didn't arrive, but it's not affected me at all.

“The media attention is no different to when I fought Prescott. I moved up a weight at short notice and won every round against him, easy.

“He's been around longer than me, done more rounds than me and been in more World title fights than me, but I heard all this before I beat Prescott, they said I couldn't go ten rounds and that he had too much experience for me and the same in the Alejandro Sanabria fight, it didn't go that way that night and it will be the same story here.”

Crawford’s World title challenge against Burns tops a great line-up of action in Glasgow, with Olympic Super Heavyweight Gold medal star Anthony Joshua MBE facing Hector Avila in his fifth pro contest.

John Simpson meets John Murray in a tasty Lightweight clash, while unbeaten Lightweight contender Scotty Cardle takes on Paul Appleby in an eight-round contest.

Joshua’s fellow Olympic medallist Anthony Ogogo is in action, Caldercruix Super Middleweight David Brophy looks to build on his 9-0-1 record on the bill, Glasgow Super Featherweight Michael Roberts can move to 14-0 with a win, former Team GB starlet Martin J. Ward is in six-round action while there is a trio of Scottish talents in four-round bouts in 20 year old Irvine Super Featherweight Ryan Collins, Wishaw’s Bantamweight Scott Allan and a debut for Glasgow’s Lightweight Ryan Smith.

"What is Scotland"...........A bankrupt Country with huge levels of unemployment..If it votes the wrong way later this year.......

Silly from Crawford..........Doesn't want a Hagler like coronation on Saturday night......

Problem with this bill is we have to wade through crap to get to the main event.....

Special appearance by Joshua against a dead body............Ogogo vs dead body......

Makes you wish it just cut to the chase..

Hector Avila isn't a bad test for Joshua at this stage, was seen as a decent opponent for Chisora not that long ago, and the Simpson vs Murray clash should be a good watch.

Hampo really............

He's......... 22 - 15 !!

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Hampo really............

He's......... 22 - 15 !!

Joshua is 4 - 0 and less than a year into his pro career.

No s**t

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Hampo really............

He's......... 22 - 15 !!

Joshua is 4 - 0 and less than a year into his pro career.

 

Exactly. Don't see why you want to see this rush from Joshua Truss, I'd rather see him take his time and make sure he irons out any issues. Hearn could do a lot worse than get him fighting some Sauerland cards against guys who will take him the distance. He's only 24 after all.

He's 41........He's got no ambition...........Lost 3 out of his last five fights to stiffs.......22 - 15.........and is no doubt looking for a payday without getting hurt !

You tell me what the point is ??

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:He's 41........He's got no ambition...........Lost 3 out of his last five fights to stiffs.......22 - 15.........and is no doubt looking for a payday without getting hurt !

You tell me what the point is ??

If Joshua fights like he's done thus far, the man is definitely getting hurt.

Who else would you stick him in with? It's not as if this fight was arranged months in advance, it was arranged quickly as possible. As all prospects do they fight guys who are there for two reasons, 1) to make them look good, and 2) for a payday.

Personally I'd like to see him go in with some of the other guys ranked slightly above him, unlike you though I don't want to see him thrown in the deep end. Look at what happened to Price went from beating domestic guys who couldn't land a punch on him, skipped the European level fighters, and got exposed by Thomspon. Now everyone has forgotten about him. Let Joshua learn the pro game properly before chucking in him in the deep end.

The problem with Joshua is he's a goldmine.....(Because he's a heavyweight)........I imagine in the same way Bruno was over here........Who he is a little similar too.........

Before the Witherspoon fight I looked at Bruno's record and apart from Smith it was tragic...

Which is a shame because he could fight.......

Think we are heading the same way with this guy..............and If I was managing him I'd probably do the same thing....

Unfortunately for the fan it means wading through s**te till he gets to a title fight...

and maybe still then......

Whistling in the dark?

I like Ricky's chances this weekend. Crawford is usually negative and that's not going to win him points when everything Burns throws is being cheered to the rafters.

Will Crawford go the way of Howard Davis Jr.?

Are you suggesting fans should be able to influence the judges ??

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Are you suggesting fans should be able to influence the judges ??

No. That doesn't mean they don't.

People forget that Howard Davis jr should have beaten the better than Watt..Edwin Rosario back in PR in 84 !!

The stupid wally got careless in the last ten seconds of the 15th and It meant he got a draw with the 10-8 round..........and that was in San Juan !!

Apparently doing well at the moment.......which is good..

Coming off a couple of bad performances and a broken jaw I see Burns really being up against it at the weekend fighting his best opponent to date.

I don't see Crawford as being as proven as some do but he looks a better fighter than Ricky.

Burns brought in a S&C coach, something he hadn't done before, and according to Billy Nelson the camp went very well. Ricky is apparently getting more purchase on his punches.

Good on the lad, always to have a bit of spite and spice in a fight!!

hampo171 wrote:

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Hampo really............

He's......... 22 - 15 !!

Joshua is 4 - 0 and less than a year into his pro career.

 

Exactly. Don't see why you want to see this rush from Joshua Truss, I'd rather see him take his time and make sure he irons out any issues. Hearn could do a lot worse than get him fighting some Sauerland cards against guys who will take him the distance. He's only 24 after all.

Good shout, like both ideas of away from the limelight and getting rounds against durable (if limited) opponents.

Would also like to see him moving from battering Hughie's leftovers to taking out Tyson's. Like Joey Abell from the other weekend, then the Maddalones, Roggies, MaccyD's and Firthas.

Can't wait to see what kind of reception he gets. Weegies aren't entirely forgiving

Joshua said he would like to fight 10 times this year. I think this would be a good approach steadily increasing his level of opponent. In 18 months he should be looking for a British title fight.

Brit title at the end of the year would be more my thinking.

Yeah Joshua potentially could fight every 1-2 months like they had Kal Yafai doing before his injury, or Fury early in his career. I'd not be surprised if he was going for British title in December

41.........Belted out by stiffs in 3/5.........22-15...........and he's a good opponent..

Mystic Truss say's a 41 year old who's crap and offered a decent payday......Takes it and falls down at the first opportunity..

But I'm sure Joshua will learn something......and that is that when you have a record of 22-15 and are 41 you shouldn't be allowed to fight !!..

Well done Crawford. Nothing wrong in giving the haggis eating swines some stick!

Valero's Conscience wrote:Well done Crawford.  Nothing wrong in giving the haggis eating swines some stick!

Are you David Bowie ?