"I'm at 147[lbs] and I'm looking at unification fights and therefore we're on different paths right now, until we meet up"; Terence Crawford wants to target Errol Spence Jr before he considers Josh Taylor fight
Monday 22 November 2021 17:48, UK
Terence Crawford says he's on a 'different path' to Josh Taylor, despite speculation about a future showdown between two elite world champions.
Crawford defended his WBO welterweight championship and his status as one of boxing's pound-for-pound stars by becoming the first man to stop Shawn Porter on Saturday night in Las Vegas.
The three-weight world king had previously been linked with a future fight against Taylor, who has emulated Crawford by collecting every world title at super-lightweight.
But Crawford has told Sky Sports: "Down the road, maybe we can visit that fight, but right now he's got business to take care of.
"After that, then who knows?
"But right now he's at 140[lbs], I'm at 147 and I'm looking at unification fights and therefore we're on different paths right now, until we meet up."
Taylor, who faces WBO mandatory challenger Jack Catterall in Glasgow on February 26, was ringside to watch Crawford.
"A brilliant performance. It kind of unfolded the way I thought it was going to unfold," Taylor told Sky Sports.
"I knew it was going to be tough for Crawford in there.
"I only gave Crawford one or two of the early rounds, but he started finding his range. He started catching him as he was coming in. Walking him onto a shot like I said he maybe would."
Asked about the Crawford fight, Taylor said: "No, I don't know really. I'm sort of forgetting about all this at the minute. I've got my own fight to focus on, which is Jack Catterall and it's a very big fight, a very big risk, so I'm focusing on that.
"We'll see how the fight goes and after it, then we can talk about these discussions and see what's happening.
"But yeah it is very exciting. It's a very exciting prospect, for sure."
Scotland was the scene of Crawford's first-ever world championship fight - in 2014, as somewhat of an unknown quantity, he dazzled to take Ricky Burns' WBO lightweight belt.
"I wouldn't say I have too many good memories, aside from becoming champion at that time," Crawford reflected on his sole fight outside of the US.
"It was definitely an experience. I was in hostile territory.
"I was the centre of attention, fighting against the hometown kid.
"There was a lot at stake. It was a hefty experience."
December 11 - BOXXER in Cardiff
Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Williams
Claressa Shields vs Ema Kozin
December 11 - Top Rank in New York
Vasiliy Lomachenko vs Richard Commey
Jared Anderson vs Oleksandr Teslenko
Nico Ali Walsh
Xander Zayas
December 17 - Top Rank in Montreal
Artur Beterbiev vs Marcus Browne - IBF and WBC light-heavyweight titles
February 26 - Top Rank in Glasgow
Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall - undisputed super-lightweight title
