Terence Crawford might face Vergil Ortiz Jr in a super-welterweight clash. Legendary trainer Teddy Atlas thinks Crawford will win if the fight happens.
Crawford just won the WBA World Title at super-welterweight by beating Israil Madrimov. Now he's looking to move up and fight Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez at 168 pounds. If that doesn't work out, Crawford might retire.
Ortiz Jr has his own fight coming up. He'll take on Madrimov if he can get past Serhii Bohachuk on December 21. Ortiz Jr recently had a close fight with Bohachuk, winning on points. It was the first time he didn't knock out his opponent.
Ortiz Jr's perfect knockout record came to an end in that controversial win over Bohachuk. The judges gave him the nod, but it wasn't as clear-cut as his previous fights.
Atlas, a well-known boxing expert, thinks Crawford has the edge. He said:
"I can't go against Crawford, I'm sorry. Until somebody knocks the king off of his throne. For me, him, Inoue and Usyk have earned it. Those guys are the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, and Beterbiev's up there too, and Tank Davis. Until somebody knocks Crawford off of his throne, I ain't going against the guy. I think he's got those special traits."
Atlas likes Crawford's style, his toughness, and how he hits the body. He also pointed out that Crawford can switch between orthodox and southpaw stances, making him hard to hit.
The fight could happen if Crawford doesn't retire or move up in weight. It would be an action-packed bout. Ortiz Jr likes to keep coming forward, while Crawford is great at counter-punching.
For now, both fighters have other plans. But boxing fans would love to see these two talented fighters face off in the ring.
