Terence Crawford: “If I don’t get Errol Spence or Manny Pacquiao, then I would have to fight Shawn Porter.”

By: Hans Themistode

WBO welterweight belt holder Terence Crawford has always wanted to take on WBA champion Manny Pacquiao or unified champion Errol Spence Jr. However, the 33-year-old has not gained traction in terms of negotiating a fight between them.

While facing his fellow champions is his top priority, the Nebraska native could find himself in the ring facing WBO number one contender Shawn Porter. For years now, Crawford (37-0, 28 KOs) has been reluctant to face the two-time champion because of their friendship. That said, Crawford is fully aware of Porter’s place in the rankings.

“Of course that’s my requirement,” Porter said during an interview on Therealayeverb Music on YouTube.

Porter, 33, is months away from a one-sided victory over fringe contender Sebastian Formella. Before achieving that lopsided victory, Porter engaged in a back-and-forth war with Spence Jr. in late 2019. Porter, of course, would continue to lose a close split decision, dropping his WBC belt in the process.

In his current form, Porter (31-3-1, 17 KOs) has a ton of options. Currently, the former champion is ranked number one in the WBO, but he is also ranked number two in the sanctioning bodies of the IBF and WBC. If he decides to go the other direction, Porter will find himself once again against Spence Jr., a rematch he’s been calling for.

But while their competition was close, Porter revealed that he would rather face Crawford.

“Honestly, I’ll fight whoever it is,” Porter said on The Jake Asman Show a few weeks ago. “But the preference is Terence Crawford simply because you guys haven’t seen me against Terence. Styles make fights and now my style has to be configured with Terence Crawford. “

Throughout it all, Crawford has remained steadfast in his preference when facing his fellow belt holders. Still, if Porter is so inclined to make his contest come true, Crawford realizes he would have no other choice.

“If you go to the WBO and say I need that fight, then that fight has to happen. If I don’t get Errol Spence or Manny Pacquiao, then I would have to fight Shawn Porter. ”