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Undefeated Terence Crawford won his first fight of 2020 on Saturday defending his World Boxing Organization welterweight title with an impressive fourth-round knockout over Kell Brook in Las Vegas.
American Crawford shook off the ring rust from a long hiatus due to the coronavirus epidemic with a declaration of victory over the former English champion at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino.
Crawford beat Brook on the punch with a right jab that sent the challenger stumbling toward the ropes. He then finished off moments later with a right hand and a flurry of short lefts that prompted referee Tony Weeks to stop him at 1:14 of the round.
The 33-year-old started slowly, looking for an opening to try to harness his superior speed and skill. Brook’s game plan seemed to be working until Crawford seized his opportunity midway through the quarter with a devastating forehand to the face.
“I was trying to measure the distance. He had good distance, ”Crawford said of the frustrating early rounds. “I was trying to find my rhythm. That’s why it was so competitive in the beginning. I couldn’t make my shots. “
Organizers decided to allow 100 spectators, including family members, to enter the Nevada casino to watch the fight amid a pandemic that has killed 1.3 million worldwide, including 245,000 Americans.
Crawford improved to 37-0 with 28 knockouts despite a size disadvantage against the bigger Brooks, who has fought as tall as the middleweight.
Brook had a different trainer for this fight because his regular didn’t want to come to the US because of the coronavirus.
He suffered his third loss in his last five fights and his record fell to 39-3 with 27 KOs.
“They caught me with a shot that I didn’t see. I’ve always said that if I’m in a fight and I’m going to lose, I’m going to come out with my shield, ”he said.
Crawford was making his first in-ring appearance since December 2019 when he beat Egidijus Kavaliauskas, and he hopes he won’t have to wait that long for the next one.
Crawford looks at Pacquiao below
He is confident that this victory will give him a fight with Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao, who was the opponent he initially wanted but was unable to face due to the virus.
Crawford said circumstances had changed and that he would reopen talks with Bob Arum and Pacquiao for a fight in the Middle East, perhaps in Qatar, in the first half of next year.
“So now we can go back to the drawing board and try to revisit a fight with Manny Pacquiao,” he added.
Arum, who runs Pacquiao, said Saturday that the fight is a real possibility, but did not elaborate. He said earlier that it could be in March or April in Qatar.
“The money was there. The fight was going to take place in the Middle East, ”Arum said.
“So the Health Minister said we can’t do it because we can’t guarantee that spectators are allowed.
“Now they called us and said if Terence is successful, then we want to resume the talks and see if we can do it in the spring.”
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