Terence Crawford has named Yuriorkis Gamboa as the toughest opponent he's faced in his career. The four-weight world champion made this surprising revelation in a recent interview with the Breakfast Club, picking Gamboa over his latest challenger, Israil Madrimov.
Crawford's career has been nothing short of spectacular. He's won world titles in four weight classes and remains undefeated after 41 professional fights. His journey to the top began in 2014 when he traveled to Glasgow to defeat Ricky Burns for his first world title at lightweight.
Following that victory, Crawford defended his lightweight title against Gamboa, knocking him out in a memorable clash. He then moved up to super lightweight, where he became the undisputed champion after stopping Julius Indongo in the third round.
At welterweight, Crawford continued his dominance. He knocked out Jeff Horn in his divisional debut to claim the WBO strap. He went on to stop six more opponents, including big names like Amir Khan, Kell Brook, and Shawn Porter. His crowning achievement came when he became a two-time undisputed champion by stopping Errol Spence Jr.
Recently, Crawford moved up to super welterweight and won a decision against Israil Madrimov, ending his impressive stoppage streak. In a post-fight interview, when asked if Madrimov was his toughest opponent, Crawford surprisingly said no. He mentioned Egidijus 'Mean Machine' Kavaliauskas, Jose Benavidez Jr, and Yuriorkis Gamboa as tougher challenges.
Crawford elaborated on why he considers Gamboa his hardest fight:
"I would say the hardest fight in my career, it would have to be between Egis and Gamboa. Gamboa's feet was just so fast and he was so small to where he was darting in and darting out, hitting me and making me miss just by an inch. I had to make certain adjustments, he was making adjustments… It was a chess match but a fast chess match. He was getting the better of me because he was more experienced, but at the same time he was more explosive. I just had to figure out the puzzle a little longer."
The Crawford-Gamboa fight took place in June 2014. Crawford found himself behind on points in the early stages but made a crucial adjustment by switching to a southpaw stance. This change in tactics allowed him to knock Gamboa down four times before stopping him in the ninth round.
Gamboa, an Olympic Gold Medalist, started his pro career in 2007 and was undefeated in 23 fights before facing Crawford. He had held the WBA Featherweight Regular belt and was known for his speed and explosiveness.
In recent years, Gamboa's career has taken a downturn. He's suffered stoppage losses to Gervonta Davis and Isaac Cruz, and a decision loss to Devin Haney. Sadly, in 2023, Gamboa was jailed following a fatal car accident in Cuba.
Crawford's admission serves as a reminder of Gamboa's once-formidable skills and the challenges he posed to one of boxing's pound-for-pound best. It's a testament to Crawford's ability to overcome adversity and make the necessary adjustments to secure victory, even against his toughest opponents.
