Terence Crawford has thrown down the gauntlet to Teofimo Lopez, who's been itching for a fight with the pound-for-pound star.
Crawford just added another belt to his collection in the super-welterweight division. He beat the previously undefeated Israil Madrimov by unanimous decision to claim the WBA strap. The Uzbek fighter's awkward style made it tough for Crawford to find his rhythm, and there was some controversy after the fight. Madrimov felt he'd done enough to win, and promoter Eddie Hearn wasn't happy with the scorecards.
Now, Crawford's using Madrimov as a test for Lopez. He's laid out a clear condition for their potential matchup.
"You fight and beat Israil Madrimov next, I'll whoop your ass next, bet? Now let's see how much you wanna fight."
Lopez, the current super-lightweight champ, has said he's willing to move up to super-welterweight for a shot at Crawford. But he didn't respond directly to this challenge. Instead, he fired back:
"We either lace up the gloves or shut your hoe ass up!"
'Teo' doesn't have any fights scheduled right now, and it's not clear if he'll give up his 140-pound title to move up.
Meanwhile, 'Bud' Crawford, at 37, has his sights set on moving up in weight again. He wants a crack at Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez. If that doesn't pan out, he's in ordered talks for a unification fight with Sebastian Fundora.
The ball's in Lopez's court now. Will he take on Madrimov to prove he deserves a shot at Crawford? Or will he look for another path to the big fight? We'll have to wait and see how this challenge plays out.
