Terence Crawford, the unbeaten 37-year-old boxer from Omaha, Nebraska, has admitted there's one current fighter who's better than him.
Crawford's career has been nothing short of impressive. He's won over 40 professional fights without a loss and grabbed world titles in four weight classes. He's also one of only three male fighters in history to become undisputed champion in two weight classes.
In August 2017, Crawford stopped Julius Indongo in the third round to become the undisputed champion at 140lbs. Six years later, he did it again in Las Vegas, this time at welterweight, when he beat Errol Spence Jr in the ninth round.
Crawford's next big fight is set for September 13 against Canelo Alvarez. If he wins, he'll make history as boxing's first three-weight undisputed champion.
Despite all these achievements, Crawford doesn't think he's the best boxer in the world right now. In a recent interview with The Ring Magazine, he shared his thoughts on the pound-for-pound rankings:
[I'm] the Ring number three? How y'all rating me number three? Who rating me at number three? I gotta go talk to them. [Oleksandr] Usyk number one, he better be number one. Over Usyk? I'm not over Usyk, but I'm over Inoue.
Crawford's humility in ranking himself second to Oleksandr Usyk speaks volumes about Usyk's abilities. The 38-year-old Ukrainian is considered one of the greatest fighters of his generation. He's the undisputed champion at heavyweight and beat Tyson Fury in May 2024. Usyk recently defended his titles in incredible fashion against Daniel Dubois, becoming the first two-time undisputed heavyweight champion ever.
Crawford's honest assessment of his place in boxing's elite shows his respect for the sport and his fellow fighters. It's a refreshing take from a champion who continues to push the boundaries of what's possible in the ring.
